Winter is Here

Today is day two of the snow.  I am having mixed feelings about this snow.   I saw weather reports that say it is going to warm up next week and by the 24th  the snow will be gone which means yet another Christmas without snow!  

I grew up in the Midwest I don't remember not having a white Christmas.   I guess I am just wanting just a small piece of my childhood back.    So for now I will enjoy the snow we are getting!

Merry Christmas and have a Joyful Peaceful season.

Debbi

A Love Letter from God to His Daughter

This was given to me by the wonderful lady who was

leading the Ladies Bible study I was doing.

I struggle with who I am and who God wants me to be,

 and leaning on Him is getting

easier as I learn His will!

(Thank You Terry for sending me this!)

A Love Letter from God to His Daughter

And now she is Mine again…
I made her and then I bought her…
because I love her.
Romans 5:8

I have to reshape her and remold her.
To renew her to what I have planned her to be.
It has not been easy for her or for Me.
Jeremiah 29:11

 

I want her to be conformed to My image…

this is the goal I have set for her…

because I love her!

2 Corinthians 2:14

I made her. She is different. She is unique.

with love I formed her in her mother’s womb.

I fashioned her with great joy.

I remember, with great pleasure the day I created her.

Psalm 139:13-16

I love her smile.

I love her ways.

I love to hear her laugh.

and the silly things she says and does.

She brings me great pleasure.

This is how I made her.

Psalm 139:17

I made her pretty and not beautiful,

because I knew her heart would be vain…

I wanted her to search out her heart

and learn that it would be Me in her

that would make her beautiful…

and it would be me in her that would draw friends to her.

I Peter 3:3-5

I made her in such a way that she would need me.

I made her a little more lonesome that she would like to be…

only because I need her to learn to depend on Me.

I know her heart. I know if I had not made her like this,

she would go off and pursue her own way…

and forget me…her creator.

Psalm 62:5-8

I have given her many good and happy things…

because I love her.

Psalm 84:11 & Romans 8:32

Because I love her,

I have seen her broken heart…

and the tears she has cried alone…

I have cried with her

and have had a broken heart too.

Psalm 56:8

Many times she has stumbled and fallen alone,

only because she would not hold my hand.

So many lessons she’s learned the hard way,

because she would not listen to my voice.

Isaiah 23:6

So many times I have sat back

and sadly watched her go her merry way alone,

only to watch her return to My arms sad and broken.

Iaiah 66:2

Fall Pictures

Well fall finially came to our area.  God sure paints great pictures everyday I just wish I could capture each and everyone of them. 

When I get down all I have to do is go look out a window and look out to be reminded God is with us.

Road Trip!

Last Saturday my hubby gets me up at the crack of dawn and tells me I have 15 mins to get ready.  I am like ok .....
He then gets our youngest up (he's now 16) and tells us that we are going on a day road trip and I should bring my camera. I am like cool!!!! I can get some great fall shots. 

Well Hubby had something else in mind, drive 4.5 hrs to his brothers new house just to see how long it will take.
I didn't get any fall shots on the way there. 
 I was kind of bummed it was a great drive
and a perfect day for picture taking.

My B.I.L. just moved to a new town in southern Oregon and asked us if we wanted to go for a short drive and see some sights and to see where he is now working. 
I said sure! Hubby rolled his eyes. 
My S.I.L. giggled and
Johnny our youngest is like sure what ever.

So here is a few "fall" pictures of the Rouge River near my B.I.L. house.

As you can see fall is just starting in Oregon.  The trees are just starting to turn to their fall colors & 

 the river was beautiful!

The boys, (Larry my hubby, Johnny, and Bobby my B.I.L.) got adventurous whileLiz (my S.I.L.)and me  snapped pictures of them.

Johnny on a rock.

 (Left to Right) Johnny, Larry &; Bobby

 Larry, Johnny, & Bobby

I took this picture on the "fall scenery" setting of my Nikon camera. It being only a couple of months old I am still learning how to use all of the cool features.

After a very brief tour we had to leave
and head down the road towards home.  
We had a choice of taking I-5 Freeway or the back route which is the way we got there. Both would take about the same length of time but the freeway route would take us near my M.I.L. and S.I.L. & her family. (They live 50 feet from each other on the same property)

 We took the freeway.

A mile or two down the freeway from Bobby and Liz's house, I asked Hubby to stop off at a store for some gum.  Knowing we were in the middle of no where, basically, we knew that this could turn into a small adventure and it did.

 (Johnny took this picture with my camera as we were driving down the road back to the freeway)

The lady at the above store told us about this

museum just down the road just before the Cover Bridge. I said cool lets go check it out.

(Yes I am a picture junky I love snapping photo's!) 

The museum was closing but the one lane covered bridge wasn't!   My poor husband, I made him take a 15min detour on a 4.5 hour drive home

just so I can take pictures. 

After we got on the freeway we stopped at my favorite ice cream mom and pop stand to be slightly disappointed that they no longer had my

Chocolate Cheese Cake Ice cream.

  Ok so the last time I was there and

had that flavor was around 1988!

An hour or so down the road from there just outside of Cottage Grove Oregon, the sky was beautiful.

I made, yes made!

 my husband pull over along the freeway for me just so I could get these two amazing

 shots of the sky!

Isn't God's handy work just amazing!

James 1:17 (KJV)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Even on this short road trip God was with us showing us He is the creator!

It was only like two mins from the first shot to the second shot that's how quickly the sun was setting. I had to wait for a break in traffic so I didn't get cars in the picture, not easy on a busy four lane freeway.

We had decided to stop off at M.I.L./S.I.L. & her family's house on the way thru. It was a 20 mile detour for a hour and a half visit but I am glad we did.

Taking road trips and seeing family is one of my favorite things to do.  I saw a lot of pretty country that we hardly ever get to see. And we surprised our family by popping in even though it was a very quick trip.

What a long day!  We left our house be 8am

and got home around midnight. 

I am so glad we made the trip!

I want to encourage you if to go for a road trip and really look at what God has done for us. 

Open your heart and your eyes

and look at what God has to show you. 

Prayerfully Yours

Debbi

Weeding My Garden of Life.

So this woman's bible study I am doing hasn't been easy.  This week God has asked me to "Weed My Garden", by replacing negative thoughts(weeds) with positive thoughts (flower seeds).   

 Weeding my garden is easy.

It is keeping the weeds out that is the hard part. 

Most gardeners knows this but

in order to have a weed free flower garden

you have to get to the deep roots so that

the weeds don't grow back. 

If you remove only part of the root the weed still grows and then becomes a problem again and again.

Same in life, if you only deal with the surface issue the root problem is still there.   But I don't have a green thumb and it takes me longer to

really have a weed free garden. 

This bible study is taking me back on a journey that I thought I had conquered. 

 I thought I had gotten to the root of

issues from my past.

But as I continue on this journey I am realizing

 I only pulled at the weeds

and never really got to the root. 

 I also have wondered if my life is ever going to be a weed free garden for Christ.

I doubt it as I am a Born Again sinner who is saved only by the Grace of God.   I will strive to become a better Christian woman. And I will diligently pluck the weeds of my garden to get to the root of God's plan.

My weed's right now have to deal with self image negative thoughts about me,

and how the world is seeing me.  

Where is this weed coming from well The drugs I take to combat Behcet's is making my hair thin quickly, I have sores all over my body and to combat that flair
I took prednisone a steroid which made
 me gain 15 lbs in one week. 

 I see myself as frumpy, plain and fat. This is a weed with deep roots.
 The root is from the words from my childhood that have come back to haunt me again. 
 My mind is telling me that I am ugly, worthless.
From the the words of family, peers, and outside influances I hear over and over again
I am not beautiful to anyone including God.

How do I get rid of these negative weeds and replace them with flowers?   I am seeking God's words. 

Psalm 51:6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts ; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.Psalm 45:11 The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.

1 Peter 3:3-4  (NIV)

3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.

4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

 

Remebering all the time that I am God's daughter, His princess not mans princess.  Seeking God first and putting away the harmful thoughts. 

Romans 7:22 -23 (NIV)

For in my inner being I delight in God's law;

²³but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members

This is a battle but that battle was won on the Cross!

I pray that you seek to weed your garden too. I pray that your weed roots aren't as deep as mine and if they are I pray God's grace and mercy
while you pluck at these issues.  Seek God first!


Prayerfully Your Sister In Christ
Debbi



Romans 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (KJV)

Now for a little humor!





Maxine’s Wise Words

When God Takes Us To Places Where We Don't Want to Go.

When God takes us to places where we don't want to go we have three choices.
1) Do nothing and ignore God's Calling
2) Go Blindingly along with God's Calling
3) Pray and tell God your Honest feelings about where He is calling too.

Now there may be more choices I haven't seen yet but these are the three I commonly choose.

I don't suggest #1 although I have been known to take that path (a lot) . 
 This path is a rocky rough road with many pot holes and pitfalls.
It also takes us away from God for not doing what God asks! This is sin!

2) Is great! If you are planted strongly in relationship and you understand God's plan, blindly walking in Faith is a great adventure. I have done this too. His blessing and rewards to those who are obedient to
His calling are beyond mans expectations.
 This will make you grow in leaps and bounds with your spiritual walk.

But lets face it we are human, I am human and this isn't a path I take often enough.
So our next option:

3) Is OK when done with the right heart set. When we approach God in loving submissive heart telling
Him our fears on where He wants us to go and asking for His guidance is OK. 
Demanding explanation from God, and having a bitter heart isn't the answer. 
This is almost going back to #1 to me
It is a matter of where your heart is and how you handle Gods calling.   This is where I am today.

God has called me to do a bible study on an issue I thought that I had handled.  I don't.  After reading the first chapter of the book I finding it hard to continue on.  So I am Choosing #3 with the right Heart set.

I am asking God to guide me through this as I am struggling with where He is calling me.
I am asking that He provide a safe path for me.  That He leads me,  not my mind.

I am also struggling with my outside appearance these days! Behcet's disease causes sores and skin ulcerations and they have ended up on my face.  Now it just looks like I got a bad case of acne. But I also have sores elsewhere on my body, my hair is falling out and is very thin from the medications,
 and the steroids led me to gain some more unwanted weight.
 All this has to do with why I am struggling with this women's bible study.
 The two are going hand in hand and I so my heart,
and physical appearance are butting heads with my mind.  
I want to follow God's Will and His plan for my life. I just need more of Him in getting through this struggle.

It is OK not to go blindly following God's will with the correct heart set exspecially when we are being tested.
The more we lean on God, The more we learn to trust His Will. 
He is a loving God. He is slow to anger yet quick to comfort.
Talk to Him. Although He knows our struggles He wants to hear it from us personally.

God, Guide me through these struggles.
Help me get past the outside body issues.
 Help me see Your Will in these things.  
Help me grow past the outward stuff so that my inner beauty can shine through.
Show me how You want me to get through this bible study.
Guide me down this path so that I may grow to who you want me to be.   Amen



Prayerfully Your Sister In Christ !
Debbi

The Seeds That Are Sown!

(Brandie's Hand just after a pumpkin

carving accident a year ago)

FROM THIS SCARY MOMENT TO ...............

To God's unending Grace and Promises to

Seeds that are sown for whatever reasons even by accident, if sown in love and tenderness will produce wonderful fruit

(or Veggies)! 

The Pumpkins are ready to harvest!

Prayerfully Your Sister In Christ

Debbi

PS: Added 09/27/10 Lots of prayers were said for healing for both girls. Handling this situation with Grace was all God's doing. No panicking, No anger, No blaming, just a hearts full of hope that both girls would be ok! I love to jump to conclusions, get mad easily, to become distraut  to blame others and harden my heart and hold grudges.
But I let God be in control of this situation.   Both girls are doing great and even laugh at the situtation.  Both have a big Heart for God's unending Love!

Prayerfully Sister Debbi

(A broader story of the Pumpkin Patch
From an early post back in JULY 2010)

For Months we couldn't figure out what we had growing in our garden. This week God reveled the seeds that were sown.

THE PUMKIN PATCH
There is more story to this pumpkin patch
then meets the eye.

My daughter and a friend of hers was out back one October 2009 evening carving pumpkins. They had thrown some seeds in the garden unbeknown to us adults. While carving my daughters hand got stabbed with a knife from the top to bottom it went clear thru her hand. We rushed her to the ER and her poor friend was just over taken with worry and sorrow.

This was clearly an accident and I felt bad for both girls at this point. My daughter was a total drama queen that night, and yes she was hurt but some of the things she said was later so funny to all of us. Her hand has healed and she has a "cool" little scar to show off.
No lingering effects just a lot of inner circle jokes.

We had forgotten all about the "pumpkin incident" and didn't think about the pumpkin mess in the back yard till we started getting these plants this spring. After we tilled the garden and laid tarps down to keep the weeds from growing these plants appeared. For months we thought it was left over yellow summer squash from last year. This week we saw the true roots of the seeds that were sown. This pumpkin patch grew out of terrible situation that has turned into many laughs.


And now we get to laugh some more. I will be sharing more pumpkin pictures as the summer grows on.

Not letting this Behcet's Flair interupted my Life!

I am still battling headaches daily. My face is broken out and looks awful!  I have ulceration like canker sores through out my mouth. I fight a low grade fever, and gut issues daily. Yet I still am living my life and not taking this lying down.

I used to.  I would go to bed and not be seen for days outside my bedroom or bathroom.  I have been going to work, going to church and this weekend I went to Penelton Oregon to the 100th Round-Up And Happy Caynon Celebrations. 
 (It is a Rodeo, Street Fair, Pow-Wow all in one event!)

Hubby had to work there for one of his law enforcement jobs and I got permission a year ago to tag along this year.  Since my BFF lives 20 mins away in a near by town I wasn't going to let my flair ruin this weekend.  I have been looking forward to this for a long long time! 

Here are some pictures.

These pictures were take Sept 17 2010.

I didn't make it to the actual Rodeo.

 Just wandering Main Street Penelton on Friday night was noisey enough.

Saturday after a quiet morning at the Hotel we were staying at my BFF and I took a small road trip to Tri-Cities WA

to window shop at the Mall there.

  It turned into an adventure as I got turned around just getting to my BFF's house then she didn't exactly know how to get to where we were going.  My husbands Garmin Navigator I bought him for his birthday two years ago was stolen two or so months ago and I really used it alot.  I missed it on this adventure.  But a wrong turn here and there,  two round-abouts, and my lack of sense of direction we finially made it to the Mall. Amazing it was still light outside and only 5pm when we got to the Mall.

We left Tri-Cities WA. at 8:30pm and to my suprise getting back to the Hotel was a whole lot easier and we didn't get turned around on the way home.  I did a whole lot of slient prayers on the way home and trusted God to be our guides. The road signs on the road were plain and easy to understand.  Why didn't we just follow them on the way up?  Because we had a faster better route, My BFF had been there before so instead of trusting the Road Department we trusted our intuition instead.

If only our Christian walks were as easy as following road signs!  UMMMMM hello, the Bible is our map. Our Christian walk can be easy when we trust God and take His route!   His route is so much faster and

 less of a hassle then our own. 

Trust Him and He will guide you! 

Sunday after breakfest we headed home.  It was sunny but off in the distance  you could see a storm brewing.  

All along our trip home are Wind Farms.  Fields and Fields of windmill producing "green" energy.   We turned off the main road onto a dirt road to get a closer look!

These things are huge!! It takes one semi tuck and trailer per prop to haul these from the factory.

It takes at least four semi trucks for the base!  

We see them on the highway by our house all the time. 

Before knew it a storm was about to dump on us!

We got back in my car and onto the main road before the rain hit!  Good thing too becuase it was a gully washer type down pour of a rain.  

Debbi

Picture UpDates

Brandie's Blanket I am Crocheting!
 It is half done finially!   09/10/10

The Pumkin Patch 09/10/10
There is a story posted on July 17 2010 about this Pumkin Patch! God is so Awsome!

The Rose Garden 09/10/10

 

God's Creation 09/09/10

The Slow Fade