CHALLENGING THE LORD’S PRAYER

I cannot say OUR if I live only for myself.

I cannot say FATHER if I do not endeavor each day to act like His child.

I cannot say WHO ART IN HEAVEN if I am laying up no treasure there.

I cannot say HALLOWED BE THY NAME if I am not striving for holiness.

I cannot say THY KINGDOM COME if I am not doing all in my power to hasten that wonderful event.

I cannot say THY WILL BE DONE if I am disobedient to His word.

I cannot say ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN if I will not serve Him here and now.

I cannot say GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD if I am dishonest or seeking things by subterfuge.

I cannot say FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US if I harbor a grudge against anyone.

I cannot say LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION if I deliberately place myself in its path.

I cannot say DELIVER US FROM EVIL if I do not put on the whole armor of God.

I cannot say THINE IS THE KINGDOM if I do not give the King the loyalty due him from a faithful subject.

I cannot say THE POWER if I fear what others may do.

I cannot say THE GLORY if I am seeking honor only for myself.

I cannot say FOREVER if the horizon of my life is bounded by the things of today.

~Author Unknown~

Hope you’ve all had a wonderful weekend, and Monday!  I spent most of the day yesterday catching up on housework, etc…it’s going to be extremely hot and humid here all week, and I wanted to get everything done that I could before the heat settled in!  We’re gonna be sweatin in the 90′s here!   

Thank you all for your cherished prayers…Lewis will be going to the doctor, and I’ll keep you posted!
The food in our fridge was fine after that power outage!  Ian called me yesterday, and we talked for at
least 1/2 an hour!  He’s doing great….they’re going to an annual Christian concert this Friday with a team
from the church for an evangelizm outreach!  This is a major event, can’t remember the name of it, but, he’s excited to share the Word, and his faith in the Lord!  It’s always so good to hear his voice!  Me…I’m doing better, and just resting in His presence!  There’s so much joy there…in His presence!  I pray you all will experience abundant joy today!

I’ll be spending time the next few days getting around to your sites…and redecorating at mine!
A new month is upon us, and it’s time for a change!  Have a blessed Tuesday…and do stay cool!

Does this help!!  :0)

Hugs,
~ Deborah <><

I hope you’re all having a blessed weekend!  I know that so many have been going through some rough seas, and heaven is being showered with prayers from many of us here.  We’ve also been going through some storms of our own…

My husband has been having chest pains, and very low energy…please pray! 
***I know God is our Great Physician and Healer! 

Our electricity went out, again…and we may have lost more food! 
***I know God is our Provider!

I have been experiencing some fear, anxiety, and depression.
***I know God is my Deliverer!

I do so miss my son.
***He is my Comforter!  I know God is holding him in the palm of His hand! 

In all of these things, I know that He IS my Shelter, and my Rock!
In all of the things that you are going through right now, claim Him as your Shelter, and your Rock!
He will NOT fail us!  We will praise Him through the storms!!!

“But those who wait for the LORD {who expect, look for, and hope in Him}
shall change and renew their strength and power;
they shall lift their wings and mount up {close to God} as eagles {mount up to the sun};
they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. 
Isaiah 40:31 {AMP}

An eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks.  The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come.  When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm.  While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.  The eagle does not escape the storm.  It simply uses the storm to lift higher.  It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

When the storms of life come upon us (all of us will experience storms) we can rise above them by setting our minds and our faith toward Jesus and His Word.  The storms do not have to overcome us.  We can allow God’s power to lift us above them. Our Lord enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure, sadness, and disappointment in our lives.  We can soar above the storm.  Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.  We can be overcomers, and praise Him through the storms!

Storms will come.  None of us can avoid them.  What is so comforting is that we have a Savior that has promised to care for us and lift us up above the storm, if we will hope in the Lord.

Here is a blessing I received from my son today.  My heart sang……and I smiled!

I pray God’s gentle hand and blessings on you all, today! 
Have a beautiful Sunday, my sweet friends!
With much love,
~ Deborah <><

May Jesus

May the Lord Jehovah grant you
a sound body, spirit, mind,
May He show you what to press toward
and what to leave behind,
May His richest blessings seek you out
and chase you down the street ~ and
May Jesus be more real to you
than anyone you meet.

May the One who loves you, favour you
and crown your home with peace,
May He fill your heart with special hope
and faith that shall not cease,
May you learn to seek His refuge first
and worship at His feet ~ and
May Jesus be more real to you
than anyone you meet.

May you always strive to please Him,
seek His face before His hands,
May you hunger for His wisdom
that no mortal understands,
May He fill your rooms with love and joy
until they overflow – and
May Jesus be more real to you
than anyone you know.

May the things you lay your hands to
tend to prosper and succeed,
May it please Him to fulfill your dreams
and meet your every need,
May He satisfy your soul’s desires
until you crave Him so ~ and
May Jesus be more near to you,
more clear to you,
more cheer to you…
May Jesus be more dear to you
than anyone you know.

© Connie Hinnen Cook
<><><><>

Have a beautiful, blessed day!
Love & Hugs,
~ Deborah <><

 


No soul can be really at rest until it has given up all dependence on everything else and has been forced
to depend on the Lord alone.  As long as our expectation is from other things,
nothing but disappointment awaits us.  Feelings may change,
and will change with our changing circumstances; doctrines and dogmas may be upset;
Christian work may come to naught; prayers may seem to lose their fervency;
promises may seem to fail; everything that we have believed in or depended upon
may seem to be swept away, and only God is left, just God, the bare God,
if I may be allowed the expression; simply and only God.

Hannah Whitall Smith
~~~~~~~~

What thought, or scripture, comes to your mind after reading this?
Be Blessed!     
Hugs, ~ Deborah <><

” I will lift mine eyes unto the hills,
from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.” 
- Psalm 121:1-2


 Part II … of Ian’s Homecoming!

 Friday Evening Remnants… I’ll pick up where I left off last Friday, July 6th, when I was running for the shower, as Ian was sleeping on and off during the afternoon … we had a great evening, after the “well-man” got all things in working order.  We just lazed around enjoying each other, ordered a pizza, and talked about his last two months in California … I also got our clothes ready to go to our nephew’s wedding on Saturday, way over in Decatur, Illinois … about a 3 1/2 hour drive … so we cut the night short in order to get up and get there way ahead of time, for Ian to set up his cameras for the videotaping.  Josh had asked him to do that about 4 months ago, and he was more than happy to oblige!  I think he got some very good footage … he had 3 cameras going!!  Ian told me that this would give me a chance to try out the new camera.  I’ve yet to see the training DVD on it, but well, actually I did start that last night … I need to find a basic beginner’s one, before I venture into all that this camera offers!  I’m so very blessed having it, I’ve wanted one ever since I can remember, and anxious to learn all I can about it!  I did take it to the wedding, but I wasn’t the main photographer.  Josh’s sister was … she took courses, and is a graphic’s artist, as well.  So, in order to stay out of her way, I took pictures that were not quite centered like hers were … photography is something I’ve always wanted to do, and would love to someday have an in-home studio, but as I’ve said, I’m only a beginner, so some of these photos don’t look right, and I hope you’ll understand, and besides, have you seen how many buttons you can push on these cameras to get a certain look to the photo?!!  It’s a small computer!  It was fun though, regardless of what I did, or didn’t, know!  There were about 4 cameras all going at once, and boy did we have the wedding party totally confused … well, they were definitely ready to throw something at us by the time it was over!  Papparazzi … on a smaller scale! 

 Saturday ….. The day dawned bright, blue, beautiful, and semi-cool.  We had our family devotions … boy have we missed doing that with Ian … and a french toast and egg breakfast with blueberry syrup.  Then we got ready, and headed over to ‘The Land of Illinois’!  It was a beautiful drive!  The difference between Indiana and Illinois is striking.  The farms, lawns, and the highway looked so well kept, green and clean!  It was warmer over there, though, and this was an outdoor wedding!  I knew we were in for a warm afternoon!  We were running a bit early, so on the way we stopped at a small souped up car show and took a few pictures.  I wonder just how much money they put into those!  My brother used to do that, but we’ve all grown older and he doesn’t tinker much anymore with cars like he used to. The property, where the wedding was held, was way out in the country … farms all around … peaceful and beautiful!  The people who loaned it to them, took 7 years getting this area landscaped … pond and all … couldn’t ask for a better setting for this event! 

We arrived a little more than 2 hours early … and Lewis helped Ian set up all of his equipment, while I walked around the property looking at everything … and beginning to sweat!  Someone had been there earlier setting up the tent, complete with tiny white lights (it’s a 7:30p.m. wedding), music area with a dance floor, tables and chairs, the food area … and of course, the royal port-a-potties!  As I said, it was out in the country, and the house wasn’t included in the use of the property for this!  We finally got all the cameras set up and in working order just about the time people were arriving.  They were preparing the food … lots of fresh fruits and vegies, BBQ chicken and pork, and lots of cold drinks!  It was getting warmer by the minute, and the bugs were beginning to arrive as well!  They asked Lewis if he’d be the “bug bomber”, so he walked around with this wonderful little can of chemicals, fogging the area … I ran and sat in the car, air conditioner running to dry the sweat … didn’t want to inhale too much of that! 

The plan was to take pictures of both men and ladies of the wedding party, separately, of course, before the wedding.  That took some time, and the wedding didn’t start until almost 8:00p.m.  I don’t think anyone minded, no one rushed out when it was over … they were all enjoying the atmosphere of this beautiful spot!  So, after the ceremony, we continued taking pictures and video, ate, watched them cut the cake and dance.  Then at precisely 9:30p.m. (long wedding) fireworks went off from a farm down the street.  It is a small town, and apparently these people do this every year, and many come to see them.  It was just neat that they went off on this day and time … kind of an extra little celebration for Josh and Chrissy!  At 10:30p.m. we said our good-byes, since we had a long drive ahead of us.  It was a nice quiet drive home, as the guys were snoring away!  I was driving and listening to worship music, and praising the Lord, first … for my precious family, second … that Ian was home with us, and third … that we are all healthy, and loving the mighty God who is so very gracious and loving toward us!  Well, that was the end of day 2 and 3 with Ian home, so stay tuned for Part III of Ian’s visit!  I made a slide show below of some of the pictures I took of the wedding, and remember, I’m no professional!  I did this for the family to log on and see … they are also over on http://www.slide.com as well.  I did want to use them all, but you’d be here all night! (yawn) I hope it shows up okay … if you have trouble seeing it, let me know … and be sure to start at the beginning by clicking on the first tiny picture in the lower left hand corner … in the meantime … you’re invited to a Royal Wedding …
 
 ”For the Love of Josh & Chrissy”…. Enjoy!!
  
Romeo: (On first seeing Juliet)
‘Did my heart love till now?
Forswear it sight!
For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.  
~ From Romeo and Juliet

He is the half part of a blessed man,
Left to be finished by such as she;
And she a fair divided excellence,
Whose fulness of perfection lies in him.
~ Shakespeare

This is romantic, but we know that our fulness of perfection lies in what Jesus did for us on the cross!  I pray you all have a beautiful day, and I’ll be back very soon with Part III of Ian’s visit, and I’ll be getting around to all of you later today, providing we aren’t too late in getting in tonight! 

 Love & Hugs,
~ Deborah <><

You’re Invited to a Royal Wedding!

See the slide show here!  Enjoy!

http://www.slide.com/r/5BemOyo2xz-FxAZgWsLWhnHvjQX-IWHf?previous_view=lt_embedded_url

HAPPY MONDAY, EVERYBODY!!

P.S. Vanessa, over at

Find Joy In The Ordinary
 ~ Max Lucado, © 2005 ~

We played every game we knew. We ran up and down the hall. We played “find me” behind the couch. We bounced the beach ball off each other’s heads. We wrestled, played tag, and danced. It was a big evening for Mom, Dad, and little Jenna. We were having so much fun that we ignored the bedtime hour and turned off the T.V. And if the storm hadn’t hit, who knows how late we would have played.

But then the storm hit. Rain pattered, then tapped, then slapped against the windows. The winds roared in off the Atlantic and gushed through the nearby mountains with such force that all the power went off. The adjacent valley acted as a funnel, hosing wind on the city. We all went into the bedroom and lay on the bed. In the darkness we listened to the divine orchestra. Electricity danced in the sky like a conductor’s baton summoning the deep kettledrums of thunder.

I sensed it as we were lying on the bed. It blew over me mixed with the sweet fragrance of fresh rain. My wife was lying silently at my side. Jenna was using my stomach for her pillow. She, too, was quiet. Our second child, only a month from birth, rested within the womb of her mother. They must have sensed it, for no one spoke. It entered our presence as if introduced by God himself. And no one dared stir for fear it would leave prematurely.

What was it? An eternal instant.

An instant in time that had no time. A picture that froze in mid- frame, demanding to be savored. A minute that refused to die after sixty seconds. A moment that was lifted off the time line and amplified into a forever so all the angels could witness its majesty.

An eternal instant.

A moment that reminds you of the treasures surrounding you. Your home. Your peace of mind. Your health. A moment that tenderly rebukes you for spending so much time on temporal preoccupations such as savings accounts, houses, and punctuality. A moment that can bring a mist to the manliest of eyes and perspective to the darkest life.

Eternal instants have dotted history.

It was an eternal instant when the Creator smiled and said, “It is good.” It was a timeless moment when Abraham pleaded for mercy from the God of mercy, “But if there are just ten faithful.” I was a moment without time when Noah pushed open the rain-soaked hatch and breathed in the clean air. And it was a moment in the “fullness of time” when a carpenter, some smelly shepherds, and an exhausted, young mother stood in silent awe at the sight of the infant in the manger.

Eternal instants.

You’ve had them. We all have. Sharing a porch swing on a summer evening with your grandchild. Seeing her face in the glow of the candle. Putting your arm into your husband’s as you stroll through the golden leaves and breathe the brisk autumn air. Listening to your six-year-old thank God for everything from goldfish to Grandma.

Such moments are necessary because they remind us that everything is okay. The King is still on the throne and life is still worth living. Eternal instants remind us that love is still the greatest possession and the future is nothing to fear.

The next time an instant in your life begins to be eternal, let it. Put your head back on the pillow and soak it in. Resist the urge to cut it short. Don’t interrupt the silence or shatter the solemnity. You are, in a very special way, on holy ground.

Ian’s Homecoming … Part I

I am here, enjoying those “eternal instants”, but first of all, I pray that you’ve all had a wonderful, blessed holiday weekend, and a great start to this new week, which is now half over!  Our days have been full, and we’ve been pretty busy since Ian got home from California! 

Life happens … and it all began when this past Friday dawned warm and beautiful, the birds were singing, I was anxious to get ready and go pick up my son from the airport … so I went to shower, and there was absolutely no water pressure, which put me under pressure, then I went to check the fuse to the well, and water was coming into the basement!  I ran upstairs and I looked out our kitchen window only to find that our well was overflowing … literally!  What a morning for this to happen!  I was like, “well, what do I do now?”  Lewis was unable to go with me to pick up the boys that morning, neither of the dads could, so he had just left for work.  They were working together on one of those jobs that had to get done at a certain time, and unfortunately it landed on the day that the boys were landing in Indiana … and the day our well overflowed! 

Fortunately, Lewis had not gotten to his job yet, so he made a bee line back home to share in all the excitement 
… a well overflowing, and not with milk & honey!  It looked as if we had struck oil, bubbling up all over the ground!  Should’a gone swimmin’!  The sump pump was also working overtime, so when Lewis got home he turned everything off … I would have, except I have no idea how things like that work … no telling how many gallons of water we lost by my not knowing that!  I’m seriously thinking of taking a powder puff crash course in well- works!  This is happening more often than I like to think about!  But I’m going to search for the spiritual lesson in all of this!  Water!  I’ve been so busy and I know I need to immerse myself in the water of the Word much more often than I have been doing lately … and God used an overflowing well, with lack of water inside the house, to gently remind me!!  We are “dry” inside when we aren’t flooding our spirits with His Word!  Thank you, Lord! 

Lewis was here, and as I had no way of getting ready, shower, etc., my sister offered for me to come to her house, but that would make me even later, so I declined … I would just have to pick up my son, as is! 

Tim’s mom, Linda, along with Elizabeth, Hannah, and Jonathan met me at Bob Evans and we went from there to the airport to pick up our precious cargo!  We got lost on the way to the airport … well, not lost exactly, just got off on the wrong exit!  Had a good laugh about that!  We got a cell phone call from Ian wondering where we were … about 5 minutes away.  He said that Michael, a good friend of theirs had also shown up to welcome them home.  I was thankful that he was there when they got off the plane! 

When we finally got to see our boys, it was wonderful, I cried!  They both looked so healthy from all that fresh air out there next to the sea!  Hmmm, I think I might go for a couple of weeks!  Now that’s a lot of water to immerse myself in!  He did say that they eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegies, and that everything they eat is grown locally.  He said when you walk into the markets there, they smell so fruity, and fresh!  They go to a Safeway … we used to have those here, but I know that the fruits and vegies weren’t that fresh!  Hearing that, I checked out Daniel’s Biblical diet on the Internet … some good information on just eating fruits and vegies, and I think I’m going to give that one a try for 10 days!  It worked for Daniel … Ian & Tim!  We left from the airport and headed back to Bob Evans where we all had a nice lunch together, and caught up a little.  We said our goodbyes, then decided to go to my sisters so that Ian could get clean, and hope that the “well-man” was home and working at getting our water back on! 

When we finally got home, the well-man wasn’t doing too well … he had gotten there just before we did!  He told us that it might be 3 to 5 days to fix it!  I had to adjust to that news, and I wasn’t really doing too well with that one!  Ian had just gotten home, and is only home for 7 days, plus we had a wedding to go to the next day!  Ian watched him for awhile … he was alone digging this big hole next to the well casing, then laying on the ground with almost half his body in the hole … had to get a picture of that … then he’d walk around like he was confused, so I called my husband and he called the landlord, and within 1/2 an hour, there were 3 other men out there digging, and working fast!  They had it in full running order within an hour!  Why didn’t they do that in the first place?  The first well-man wasted at least 3 hours of work!  Could we call this an “eternal instant”?  Well, this moment, this trial, reminded me that everything is okay, water, or not!  We are so very blessed! 

With water flowing into the house now, I ran for the shower!  Ian slept off and on through the evening.  Lewis was really happy to see him when he got home from work.  It was so nice just having him home with us.  This is where I’ll stop, for now, I finally figured out those slide shows, so I’m adding some pictures below this post, from Friday!  I’ll pick up next time in Part II of Ian’s homecoming and all the other things that happened this past weekend! 

I will be around to see you all as soon as I can … I really miss reading your daily happenings … but having my son home and giving him attention is very important to me!  He’ll be leaving Saturday, and then I’ll be back here to catch up!  You’re all in my thoughts and prayers, and special prayers are going out for Paula on the loss of her precious husband!  Hold close to those you love, today!!  Here is a poem I want to share on that very subject that I read awhile back … it touched my heart … how very precious those we love are to us … we are not promised tomorrow … let them know today!  Be blessed!


  IF I KNEW

If I knew it would be the last time that I’d see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time that I get to see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time I’d hear your voice lifted up to praise,
I would video tape each action and word, so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute or two to stop and say “I love you,”
instead of assuming that you KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time I would be there to share your day,
instead of thinking, “Oh, well, I’m sure we’ll have so many more, so I can let this one slip away.”

For surely there’s always tomorrow to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance to make everything all right.
There will always be another day to say ” I love you,” and certainly there’s always another chance.

But just in case I might be wrong, and today is all I get,
I’d like to say how much I love you and hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is never promised to anyone, young or old alike,
and today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight.
So, if you’re waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes, you’ll surely regret the day that you didn’t take that extra time for a smile,
a hug, or kiss, and you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their last wish.

So, hold your loved ones close today, whisper in their ear.
Tell them how much you love them, and that you’ll always hold them dear.
Take the time to say ” I’m sorry,” “please forgive me,” “thank you,” or “it’s ok.”
And if tomorrow never comes, you’ll have no regrets about today.

~Author Unknown

Love & Hugs,
~ Deborah <><  

Ian’s Homecoming Slideshow…
http://www.slide.com/r/1PY3_6qSwj_5rtEvRc-mw6_KK8_Ewroz?previous_view=lt_embedded_url

~ THE CRACKED POT ~ 


” … He shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use,
and prepared for every good work.”
II Tim 2:21

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck.  One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.  For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master’s house.  Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made.  But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

“I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologise to you.”  “Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”
“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house.  Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said,  “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some.  But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologised to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it.  I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them.  For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table.  Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

Each of us has our own unique flaws.  We’re all cracked pots.  But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father’s table.  In God’s great economy, nothing goes to waste.  So as we seek ways to minister together, and as God calls you to the tasks He has appointed for you, don’t be afraid of your flaws.  Acknowledge them, and allow Him to take advantage of them, and you, too, can be the cause of beauty in His pathway.  Go out boldly, knowing that in our weakness we find His strength, and that “In Him every one of God’s promises is a Yes.”     –Author Unknown