A REMINDER

We, as a family, are going through some trying times and issues in our lives.

I have spoken often about how God ALWAYS places before me the very words of encouragement, reprimand or insight that I need.

Such was the case this morning during our Bible reading and prayer time when our daily reading from MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST, by Oswald Chambers was this:

Receiving One's Self In The Fires Of Sorrow

"What shall I say? Father, save me, from this hour? But for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify Thy name." John 12:27-29 RV

"My attitude as a saint to sorrow and difficulty is not to ask that they may be prevented, but to ask that I may preserve the self God created me to be through every fire of sorrow. Our Lord received Himself in the fire of sorrow, He was saved not from the hour, but out of the hour.

We say that there ought to be no sorrow, but there is sorrow, and we have to receive ourselves in its fires. If we try and evade sorrow, refuse to lay our account with it, we are foolish. Sorrow is one of the biggest facts in life; it is no use saying sorrow ought not to be. Sin and sorrow, and suffering are, and it is not for us to say that God has made a mistake in allowing them.

Sorrow burns up a great amount of shallowness, but it does not always make a man better. Suffering either gives me my self or it destroys my self. You cannot receive your self in success, you lose your head, you cannot receive your self in monotony, you grouse. The way to find yourself is in the fires of sorrow. Why it should be so is another matter, but that it is so is true in the Scriptures and in human experience. You always know the man who has been through the fires of sorrow and received himself, you are certain you can go to him in trouble and find that he has ample leisure for you. If a man has not been through the fires of sorrow, he is apt to be contemptuous, he has no time for you. If you receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people."

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I am so thankful for God's faithfulness to me, in the good times and in the trying times. HE is my ever present source of comfort and strength and truly HIS peace passeth ALL understanding. On the solid rock I stand - All other ground is sinking sand.

IN GOD WE TRUST - By Paul Harvey

HOORAY, HOORAY, HOORAY for Paul Harvey. I myself have been grumbling and wondering how a handful of people have been able to take our right to pray in public places away from us. So, agreeing with Paul, I GLADLY say, Folks, this is the Month that we RE-TAKE AMERICA

**********Get Ready**********

This is the United State of America, a country founded on Christian principles. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations. Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying. God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well, just sue me. The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we tell that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority doesn't care what they want.

It is time that the majority rules!

It's time we tell them, You don't have to pray; you don't have to say the Ledge of Allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right; but by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back and we WILL WIN!

God bless us one and all...

Especially those who worship Him, God bless America, despite all her faults. She is still the greatest nation of all. God bless our military who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God. Let's make 2008 the yest the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions...And our military forces come home from all the wars. Keep looking up.

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I know this has been around before but as we are approaching July 4th and our celebrating of the Independence of Our Great Country let's renew this stand one and all.

A CROWN OF THORNS

A VERY belated thank you for a WONDERFUL gift I received some time ago from my dear friend, Jennifer. This crown of thorns I have hung on the corner of the paint by number of the Lord's Supper that I did 49 years ago. What a perfect place and reminder of the price that was paid by our Dear Savior and the Love of Our Father in sending His only begotten Son to die for me.

I truly have egg on my face for it being so long for me to acknowledge this gift of love. It truly is a gift of love, both in the making of it, and then in the packing and shipping of it.

I see it every day, Jen, and I love it. Thank you so very, very much!!!

SHOW & TELL #19 - Fruit of the Spirit Flower Bed

Friday, once again, and time for Show & Tell at Kelli's. Drop over and join in the fun of sharing something to Show & Tell.

This is my Fruit of the Spirit Flower Bed we are developing. Here were have just planted Golden Moneywort. This is a ground cover and will fill in and hopefully look like a little stream.

This is the flowerbed with nine different shaped rocks that each have the name of one of the Fruit of the Spirit on them.

Click on the picture to enlarge and you can see these stones read Meekness, Faith, Love, Longsuffering, Gentleness & Temperance.

Here you can see the stones reading Gentleness, Joy & Peace. There are 2 plain stones holding down the metal frame. I have planted 6 each zinnia, portulaca & verbena. I hope to show you this flowerbed again later when the plants have grown and filled in some. This is just my feeble start.

Galatians 5:22 - 23 "Now the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

Many people refer to the fruit as fruits (plural) of the Spirit, but it is all one fruit (singular) of the Spirit. May we each be walking in the Spirit of God, bearing and developing this fruit in our lives.

Thanks for dropping by for my Show & Tell today. Be sure and visit all the others on Mr. Linky. It's such fun.

A GIFT!!!

LOOK!!!! what came in the mail for me yesterday all the way from South Africa. Retha, of Retha's Rambles , not only sent me a box of 40 Rooibos Teabags but had a special angel made for me. It is precious and adorable. Made out of wire and beads. The main part is silver with the halo and wings gold. Then I received a wonderful six page letter from Retha telling me more and sharing more with me. I love each and every part of it, Retha. Even the box with the South Africa stamps!!! Such a surprise and such a blessing.

Retha recently became the FIRST world wide participant in our Hearts In "1" Accord prayer team blog. I say first because I know that God has called this team to be a world wide 24/7 group. Circling the world with none ending, every hour, every day prayer. What a wonderful thing that will be.

Please drop over and meet Retha and get to know her. You will be blessed indeed.

Thank you so very much Retha. You surprised the socks off of me and blessed me to tears.

CELEBRATING

Father's Day! Here is Mickey with one of the many gifts the kids got him. It is a flashlight for your head, so your hands are free!!! The kids love it when Mickey gets a new hobby because they have some new things to get him for gifts.

I prepared dinner for 12 people who were coming after church. I am anxious to get home and tend to the meal and Mickey begins talking to another man in our church who has bee hives. I finally had to interrupt and say, "I hate to be rude, but I do have 12 people for dinner today!". We had a Spiral Ham, new red potatoes, fresh steamed green beans, corn, big vegetable salad, cranberries, and french bread. It was all lush if I say so myself :o)

David's birthday is June 22nd, next Sunday, so we celebrated both occasions. Suzette brought the desserts: A chocolate cake with whip cream icing for David's 44th birthday and a Marie Callendar's German Chocolate Pie for Father's Day (since Mickey loves German chocolate cake). Both really yummy.

Here is our birthday boy, David. This is the first time in YEARS that David has been with us on his birthday so it was a very special celebrating him & his dad on the same day.

Everyone had to have a look at the bee hive. We only got this one picture of Marc and Oksana doing so. Aric won't even open the french doors and go out into the back yard!!!! Got to get him over being so afraid of the bees!!!

Our pastor's sermon was WONDERFUL as always. He really challenged all of us, not just the men, to be completely honest with ourselves as to the truth about US individually. At the end he had all the men come to the front of the church. It was so awesome because our church body is full of many, committed men. Such a blessing.

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OTHER STUFF: Friday night we had our first prayer meeting in our new permanent prayer location. We only had 13 of us but it was wonderful and powerful.

Saturday night Mickey & I had received an invitation to attend a meeting at the Library where a woman who had been an intercessory prayer worker at Brownsville spoke. It just excites me that God is calling so many people to become serious about seeking Him, and His will for our lives, in prayer.

I trust all of you had a wonderful Father's Day celebrating your fathers. I feel so very blessed to have had a wonderful Father. Then double blessed to have a husband who has been a wonderful Father, to our 4 children, and now grandfather to our 3 grandchildren.

ENLIGHTENED PERSPECTIVE

The subjects covered affect us all on a daily basis. They're written by Andy Rooney, a man who has the gift of saying so much with so few words. Enjoy.......

I've learned.... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.
I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows.
I've learned.... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.
I've learned.... That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right.
I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child.
I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.
I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
I've learned.... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
I've learned.... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
I've learned.... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.
I've learned.... That money doesn't buy class.
I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
I've learned... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
I've learned.... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
I 've learned.... That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.
I've learned.... That love, not time, heals all wounds.
I've learned.... That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.
I've learned.... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
I've learned.... That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
I've learned... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.
I've learned.... That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.
I've learned.... That when you harbor bitterness, happiness w ill dock elsewhere.
I've learned.... That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.
I've learned.... That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
I've learned.... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
I've learned.... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.
I've learned.... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.
I've learned.... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.