SURPRISE ~~

Our WOW Women planned a SURPRISE baby shower for one of our members, Britney.  It was first scheduled for Tuesday, February 23rd, but since I was sick we had to call it off and reschedule it for last night, February 28th.

Jeanne, who is absolutely the best, co-hosted with me and came up with all the really cute and neat ideas like......

This clothes lines of baby items hung out on the front porch.  Jeanne in the first picture and my reflection in the glass door of the 2nd (didn't know that was going to be there!)

Sweet hubby, Mickey, cutting me off 3 of the butter-cups from my Scripture Garden in our back yard for the table setting. 

 The beautiful cake (furnished by Jeanne)-lime sherbet punch-chocolate mints-nuts.

Small vase of butter-cups-napkins-plates-cups.

A baby bottle for one of the games & paper for each guest to write Britney a personnel note. 

 Balloons hanging from the ceiling light. 

The waiting packages.

Now for the biggest SURPRISE of all ------ Britney was not feeling well and was unable to come!!!!!

So the surprise was on us!!!! 

The cake has gone home to Jeanne's freezer to be saved.  The punch, mints & peanuts were consumed .The packages and all the other items are in my guest room, and this wonderful group of women will honor Brittany on another Tuesday night in the future and I'll post pictures of the REAL THING!!!  We did reach her on Jeanne's cell phone and with speaker phone we all got to holler at her and she got to speak to all of us.  

YES, we love surprises & God has a wonderful sense of humor!!!

MORE OF WHY I LOVE MY CHURCH!

I have written many times, over the 5 years I've had Penless Writer, about my wonderful church.  Well, here is another small (because they are young) but BIG reason I love my church and the multifaceted ministry that takes place there almost every single day of the week.

This was a slumber party last Friday evening that 61 young girls from the Childrens ministry attended!.

Just look at these sweet, precious, faces!!!

And THESE are the 12 wonderful teachers & parents that were slumber-less as they over saw this fantastic event.  

As you can see, the "adults" (kids at heart!) can and do have as much fun as the kids!!

While this excitement was going on in the gym in the ORC building 

THIS - was going on in an activity room in the main church.

A surprise 70th Birthday Party for a dear friend, Thelma, put on by her children and grandchildren.

It's hard to pull off a BIG SURPRISE party like this but pull it off they did.

Family & friends from as far away as California and Missouri and then many of her church family.

A delightful, covered dish meal. Then this beautiful and tasty 3 tier cake that was made by one of the relatives and cream puffs, to the right.

Yes, we are so blessed to be part of an active Body of Believers who are not only reaching out to the community on a daily basis: Klothes Kloset, King's Kitchen, Repair & Maintenance Ministry just to name a few - but also know how to have fun and joy as they serve the Lord together. 

AND BEST OF ALL~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't have pictures to show on this but Sunday morning, at the 10:45 service,

25 NEW SOULS WERE BAPTIZED!!!

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT.  THANK YOU LORD!!!

ADVICE FOR THOSE WHO PRAY

I am copying a devotional I read yesterday because it is such good advice on the important topic of prayer.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ADVISE!

"He who heeds counsel is wise."  Proverbs 12:15 NKJV.

When someone comes to you with a personal problem, ask them the following questions:

• What do you think caused the problem?
• What have you done about it?
• What Scriptures are you standing on?
• What do you think I might be able to do, that you haven't already done?

These questions will help you weed out those who genuinely want help from those who only want attention.  Some people see prayer as a magic wand; they think you can wave it over them and their problem will just go away, then they can go back to living their lives the way they please. 

Here's another situation.  Someone may say, "The doctor has suggested surgery.  What should I do?"  Unless you're a doctor, be very careful what you advise.  If God has spoken to someone and they have faith that He will heal them, don't throw cold water on them.  So what should you do?  Jesus said, "If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven" Mathew 18:19 NKJV.  The real question is, are they standing on their faith or yours?  You can teach people God's Word, but you can't force them to come up to your level of faith until they're ready.  Sometimes people may be ready and all they're seeking is confirmation.  The Bible says:  "You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things" 1 John 2:20 NKJV.  But unless God has let you "know". be careful what you advise!

(copied from The Word For You Today)

JUICING

One of the results of being so sick this month has been digging out the juicer, that we used a number of years ago, that was buried deep within the cabinets.  We are determined to spend more time in planning and preparing what goes into these God given bodies of ours.  

You can see we have the Juiceman Jr.

The basic juice is carrot.  Here you see our 12 carrots and 4 apples that will be cleaned and cut to feed into the juicer.  This makes 2 servings - one for each of us.

 Here are the lush finished products.

Don't you love our happy Mickey Mouse glasses?!!!  These were a Christmas gift, probably 15 years or so ago, from our daughter, Jacque, when she lived in Florida.

THIS IS SOOOOOO GOOD

 A few days later we decided to try an Alkaline combination

For two - 12 oz. grapefruit, 6 oz. lemon, & 14 oz. orange.

The finished product. 

 This was SO sour we will NOT be doing this one again.

The others we have tried so far are:  

Sunshine Salad - Apples & Strawberries. 

 Another Alkaline combo of  Carrot, Beet and Lettuce. 

Pineapple/Strawberry/Apple 

All of them are do again, with the exception of that lemon!!

The Carrot juice is truly the best and so yummy.

An aside, when I was still working and we had just purchased the juicer and juicing Carrot juice several times a day our skin actually began to turn an Orange color and we decided we were over doing it!!!

Do any of you juice?  I'd love to hear about it if you do.

Please be nice and leave me a comment so I'll know I'm not just "talking to the wind".   

A SOVEREIGN GOD - Spiritual Sundays #3

Today, for Spiritual Sunday,  I am sharing this quote by F. B. Meyer, which I got from Michelle.  I invite you to go here to read other's Spiritual Sunday posts and be sure an check out Michelle's lovely blog.

This quote, by Meyer, reinforces exactly my thoughts about the Tribulations and Testings of our lives and the Sovereignty of our God.  As our family is coping with all the "firsts" of this "first" year of life without our beloved daughter, Suzette, it speaks to me afresh and anew this Sunday morning.  For all of you dealing with your Testings I pray it will speak to you. 

Let us believe that there is a Divine and deeper meaning in the adversities of our lives. - Joseph might be forgiven for not doing so; but with his history and that of many others before us, we have no excuse for despair in the face of crushing sorrow. Whether it comes from man or devil, all creatures are under the Divine control, holding to our lips cups which the Father's hand has mixed. He has ...no complicity with their evil, but they unconsciously perform His will. Even if you cannot see the Divine meaning, dare to believe that it is there.

Await the disclosures of time. - Even here we sometimes reach an eminence from which we detect the meaning of the path by which we have been conducted. It may have been rough and circuitous, but there was reason in it all. Often God rewards patient trust by allowing us to see and know.

And for the full revelation of eternity. - One day God will call us to His side in the clear light of eternity, and will explain His meanings in life's most sorrowful experiences; and we shall learn that we suffered, not for ourselves only, but for others, and, as part of His great remedial scheme, "to save much people alive."~F.B. Meyer

We serve a Sovereign God who loves us!!! 

2nd Book of 2012 - Erasing Hell

Another book (my third) by Francis Chan.  This is co-authored by Preston Sprinkle who I was not familiar with.  

I knew, the minute I'd read about a page, that this was a book that my fleshly "me" did not want to read.  I also knew, in that same time, that this was a book that had fallen into my hands because it was a MUST Read. 

 I don't know if you are like me, but I so prefer to not face, or think, a lot about the opposite side of truth - that yes, God is love, but He is also a God of justice, and that He truly spells out very clearly for all of us to see and know, the punishment and payment for sin and unbelief in a place called hell, and hades.

When we really look at this, as we should, then we can no longer shun our responsibility for doing anything and everything we can to make this truth known and what we can to keep anyone, who's lives cross our path, from going there because they did not know. 

As the saying goes "it puts the fear of God in us."  I encourage you to join me in facing this truth, reading this book, and then taking up your cross daily to do what you can to alert those in your path.

I encourage you to read Ezekiel 33:1-21.

     

DOWN - But NOT Out

So, about the time I am determined to try and pay more time and attention to writing on this blog again Satan choose to attack me hard physically.  I have not been out of the house, or out of my pj's and off the couch (other than going to the Dr. as soon as I could get in on Monday morning) for the past week.  Not fun or pleasant.   I am still very weak and still won't be going out for awhile until I really get this one put under......BUT......NO weapon formed against me will prosper.  That's my Lord's promise to us, His children, and I stand firm on that.

Now on to the positive side.  I've certainly had a lot of time to think the past 7 days.  Sometimes God himself has to slow us down so we take a closer look at how we are spending our precious minutes, hours and days.  I can't say exactly all the adjustments I know God is asking me to make yet, but I know he'll show me and I'm ready to listen.  I know I've got to cut some things back, or out, in my life.  It has gotten where Mickey & I would not be home one single day or evening for weeks on end. 

One of the good things so far.....the juicer has come out of hiding on one of the bottom shelves, where it had been pushed WAY back, and we are juicing each day.  I also need to get back to more meal planning and preparation of wholesome foods and meals. Good eating takes time and planning.  One of the things that suffers when we get so busy is that and we also end up eating out far to often.

The things I do know that will stay in my schedule for sure are: 
 1) our morning bible study, reading and prayer time;
 2) my time commitment to the 2 private prayer groups God has directed me to set up;
 3) hosting the WOW Women Bible Study in our home every Tuesday evening;
 4) our commitment to faithful attendance to our local Church.

Almost everything in our lives that we are involved in are GOOD things and good causes but sometimes we have to weed-out some GOOD for THE BEST and I  know that is what God is calling on us to do.  

I do believe my recommitment to this blog was from God and that it is important for me to maintain Penless Writer. God gives me quite a few things that somewhere along the way never make it onto this page.  Here again, not giving the time, effort and thought into devloping those thoughts because of constantly being somewhere else, doing something else. 

Yes, Lord, you are the potter and I am the clay. I am thankful it is you that mold me and make me.

Wednesday Hodge-Podge #5

Go over and check out the other hodgepodge posts.

1. What is something you are loving right now? The blessed life I am living and the wonderful friends I am surrounded with both in real life and in the blog world.

2. Paris, Venice, New York, and Rome are considered four of the most romantic cities in the world. Which one would you most like to visit? This is hard because I'd go to any of these 4 in a minute, given the opportunity.  But, if I must choose only 1 I'd go to Venice.

3. Are you a romantic?  Not at all.  I am too much of a realist but I mostly live and dwell within the Spiritual realm.

4. What's your favorite love story made for the Big Screen?  I am not a movie or video fan so I cannot answer this one.

5. Everyone loves Pooh bear and friends...which character are you most like and why? Click here for help in answering this question. Had to go take this test :o) because I didn't know who these friends were!!!  According to the test I am Kanga.'You are warm and loving and great with children. People know not to misbehave around you or they'll end up in time out.'
 6. What's the best chocolate something you've ever eaten? Back in the 1980's the man I was working for brought me a box of chocolates from a business trip to Germany.  That was the absolutely best I've ever eaten.



7. Share a favorite quote about love.  "God is love.  When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us."  I John 4:17 The Message   

8. Insert your own random thought here  How do we truly manifest love on a daily basis?  Not only to our family and friends but to the world and place where we find ourselves.  This is a hard question and one I find myself struggling with a lot these days.

Every Birthday is Special ------- BUT.........



But........some are landmarks and such was the one we celebrated on Friday evening, February 3rd, as Aric turned 13!!!  Seems impossible that he could be a teenager.

The 13 year old TEENAGER with his dad, Marc, who had taken a bad fall the week before.

Uncle Dave and another hard 'FIRST' without his beloved Aunt Suzette :o(

Uncle Benny, Aunt Jacque and Grandma Susan.

Grandma & Grandpa

1/2 of the obligatory Happy Birthday singers - so many I couldn't get them all in the picture!

The special ice cream sundae

With the Red Robin mascot.  Dave wouldn't get in the picture :o) and I was taking it.

We are so very proud of Aric.  He is a fine young man and his words to all of us tonight were "And you don't need to worry about me because I'm not going to be like most teenagers." We take him at his word.  He truly is a person, as Jesus said about Nathaniel  in John 1:47b "In whom is no guile!"  In the name of Jesus I speak that this will always be true of Aric Stephen Joyce.

We love you Aric and you truly are a special young man.

First Book of 2012-A Carpenter's View of the Bible

Interesting story of how I came to read this book.  I read a quote from it on a daily devotional I get.  I was so impressed with the quote: 
• God...has performed in my person the most wonderful miracle that I know of. He has unlocked His treasury. He had given me the right to impart to every man who hears my voice or reads my written words the whole of this unaccountable largesse. Jesus Christ is for the whole world. And I am one of those who are called to go about the world and say so. It is indeed an overwhelming privilege to open a door, and let the world come in. I feel like the trusted steward of a great house, instructed by his master to exhibit to visitors the wealth of the domain. Only, those who come are not casual visitors, brought thither by curiosity and tarrying but an hour. They do not come to stand and gaze at the treasures exposed in glass cases to a cursory view. They take them, and have them for their very own. And it will be the same for others, tomorrow, and for ever. The supply wastes not, and the royal bounty does not fail.

Ephesians 3:8-9 The Carpenter Translation

I love this verse and thought this was from a Bible Translation that I had never heard of.  I began my search for said "translation" and was told it was out of print and was from the 1950's and had been published in England.  I contacted one of my England blog friends, Barbara, and asked her if she'd ever heard of it.  She replied no but would see what she could find out.  Then I received an e-mail from her saying it was available through Am*az*on so I promptly ordered not 1 but 2.

This book arrived shortly thereafter.  Not a translation at all but written by a carpenter from his view of the bible, just as the title says!!!

Have you ever had a love/hate relationship with a book?  That is what I had with this book!!!  Parts of it I thought, "Why in the world am I even reading this?" and other parts I was literally moved to tears with the profoundness with which it spoke to me.

One of my self imposed rules is, if I start a book I MUST finish it.  I also believe firmly, as it relates to books,  that God places into my hands exactly what I need at that particular point in my life.  I have experienced this over and over again from my earliest reading even back to my pre-teen years and certainly since becoming a Child of The King at age 18.

Here are a few quotes:  "Though Christ's children become converted during the initial act of belief, Christ-likeness is a honing process of personal spiritual transformation (the Christian has willingly made himself/herself susceptible to the influence of Christ.)  This happens as Christ shapes the believer to his image along the long road toward sanctification.  Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at conversion, believers are capable of receiving this action; they are spiritually susceptible.  As a carpenter works a piece of wood, Jesus works to shape the believer into a "new creation."  Redemption is a matter of shaping."

And, "Though we might have great faith expecting the Lord's provision that nagging human part of us remains.  We don't necessarily doubt, but we definitely, with some anxiety, wonder.  This is the tough part of obedience.  We only know enough to trust that the Lord will work out the method of his promises through the skills and flaws of his human intermediaries."

And, "In the course of life we naturally accept and reject materials out of which we build our lives.  Whether we realize it or not, we set the cornerstones of our lives based on what we accept as truth and build our structures on top of our perceived certainties." 

Certainly an interesting and very different read.

Finally in the mail

Six days after announcing the two winners for the above book, I have finally gotten them ordered and they are on their way.....

ONE to my dear friend, Retha, from South Africa

and

THE SECOND to my new friend, Sylvia, from the United Kingdom.  Just learned that Sylvia has been reading Penless but a lurker.  Ginger introduced me officially in early November of last year. 

The books are scheduled to arrive in each location between March 2 and March 22.  Sorry it is taking so long :o( but trust the wait will be worth it.

Retha also shared the following information on her recent post which I did not know and found so very interesting:

"It is a book written by Andrew Murray on prayer. Andrew Murray was a preacher in South Africa. I am aware that he was instrumental in many being saved. But have never read anything he wrote. I have heard of his words;

"May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love, and joy of God's presence."

In 2009 we visited the house where he grew up. It is now a period museum. His father was a preacher. I am not certain if he had one or two brothers who also became preachers.

He was the first president of the YMCA

In a sense this book is coming home. Home to its origin, also home to have a piece of Mrs. Susan whom I hope to meet some day."

Yes, Retha, in a sense the book is coming home and I, too, hope to meet you some day.

Re-Introducing SUZY BLUE

After mentioning that we had once been involved in hot air ballooning and getting comments from people, some who I've known awhile in blogging, were not aware of that I went back to my older postS to pull out this post from July 9, 2007 about our Hot Air Balloon - Suzy Blue.

If there is some interest I have several other posts about our days of Hot Air Ballooning that I will re-post.  Let me know.

Wednesday HODGEPODGE #4

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Go here to participate and to read other's answers.

1. It's that most wonderful time of the year...tax season! Do you complete your own returns or farm that job out to the professionals?  I did my own but now I have my son do ours.

2. This next question comes from Kansas Bob...he posed it in his response to something I asked in an earlier Wednesday post and I asked him if I could add it to the Hodgepodge some day. Today's the day....
Which do you think has changed you more-love or pain? It would definitely be pain.  First, from holding my marriage together 28 years ago, and Second, from going through the battle with losing our beloved daughter, Suzette, to cancer.  That battle began on September 22, 2010 and ended on May 19, 2011.

3. Tangerine Tango has been named color of the year for 2012. Your thoughts? Would I find this color anywhere in your house? How about in your closet? If not, will you be adding this color to your life in some way in 2012? If you're not sure what tangerine tango looks like click here.  You would not find this color in my decorating scheme in my home or my closet.  Yes, I could see buying a new item to wear in this color.

4. Are you a collector? What do you collect and does it get admired, used, and/or dusted regularly? Yes, I collect angels and have them both inside and outside my home.  Yes, they get admired, especially my "beautiful angel" that sits on the TV console, and yes the ones inside get dusted a couple of times a week.  I use to collect mugs, when we were active in hot air ballooning and also when we travel in our RV, but have given most of them away.

5. February is National Heart Month...besides a green salad what is one tasty heart healthy dish you like to prepare?  Sorry to say, most of the dishes I like to prepare are more along the comfort food line!!!  One healthy one would be salmon patties,

6. When was the last time you had car trouble? That would be 2007 when we were in Kansas City on vacation with our grandchildren.  We came home with a brand new car!!!  You can read about it here.

7. Have you been more demanding on yourself lately or less? Is that a good trend? Less in the area of "have to do's" around the house but More in the area of reaching out in my Christian walk.  I think it is a good trend or I wouldn't be doing it.

8. Insert your own random thought here. I am so thankful that The Lord never gives up on us and is constantly working in our lives to do, and accomplish,  His good pleasure.  Have a beautiful Wednesday!!!