It has been a while .....

It has been a while since I have posted on this blog.
I just haven't known what to write or share with the world.
Two weeks ago I heard this song by Laura Store called Blessings.
It touched me and so I want to share her words with all of you.

(I found the lyrics here: http://www.lyricshall.com/lyrics/Laura+Story/Blessings/)

Laura Story - "Blessings" Lyrics

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need

Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love

As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise


When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home,
It's not our home


‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are your mercies in disguise

(This is not raindrops but melting snow on the windshield of our Mazda Tribute taken Jan 2011 at Mt Hood Meadows Ski Lodge)

Just remember that no matter what trial comes your way
You're not alone, and HE Cares, and HE Loves You. 
He also whats us all to know that here on earth isn't our forever home.

Heaven will be home to all those who believe in God and excepts His gift....

His Son Jesus
The one who died on the cross as a perfect sacreficed human lamb
to wash away our sins and give us a direct way to GOD!

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(KJV)

Prayerfully Yours
Debbi

Finding God in Everything, Everyday.....

Again today on my way to work I see the sun rising over the eastern hills by my house.  The sun is casting a glowing pink, organish color agains the blue gray sky. Slowly warming up the cold brisk air that greeted me this moning as I stepped out our back door on my way to my car to get my day started.

I noticed that we had a smelly back and white vistor lurking around last night.  The oder of a skunk isn't hard to forget  exspecially if you had to give the poodle a tomato bath because he thought it was a kitty to chase. 

It got me thinking about God first thing this morning. 

Why would God create an animal that was cute to look at but smells so bad? 

Then I thank God for the chuckle  of the memory of discovering our french poodle Dusty had met a skunk sometime during the night during a gold panning/dredging expitdition somewhere near Canyonville Oregon.  What wasn't so funny was the ride home in the back of the pick up with the canopy jammed pack with camping and  the gold prospecting gear in 110 degree weather with a dog that smelled like skunk!!!!

So on my way to work this morining my nose and my eyes were opened to God's handy work. Then my other senses kicked the birds singing in the near by trees. The suttle ruslting of the aging dead leaves on the ground as a gentle swish of a breese waifs by. The hooting owls that are calling each other from differnt parts of our small rual town.  The thunderous rumbling of the ground from the train engine which

roaring down the track five or six blocks away. 

The steady click click click of the tran cars is a steady rythamatic beat. 

"Wow it is good to be awake!" 

 OK if you know me you know I am not a morning person!  

 Mornings exspecially Monday mornings should be banned as far as I am concerned.

 It should be a sin that the alarm clock go off before 10am on a week day and 12pm and weekends.

But for some reason this morning was different. I was a aware of everything

the sounds, smells, sights and vibrations that greeted me this morning just made my heart sing.

  I wish I had my camera this morning to take a picture of the sunrise. 

 Remember I hate mornings and I see this sight almost everyday during the winter LOL

My camera in the morning ya right I lucky to remember my work keys.

 I have to force myself to remember to take my morning meds. 

But isn't God great.  He took this non morning person this morning and gave her beauty and music.

What did God show you today? 

God showed me there is life before 10am on a Monday morning. 

That He is present even when I don't want to be!

Have a great and Peaceful week! 

Prayerfully
Debbi 

I don't like MANS .......

Ok I know your thinking ummmmm I think she ment to type MEN.  Nope I ment mans just follow along.

I don't like MANS one size fits all interperation of the bible,
MANS biblical law, and MANS thinking about spiritual issues.

I am sorry but MANS thinking is just a little off here including my very own.

Didn't God create everyone of us to be a differnt part of the body of Christ to work together
so we can be as one for HIS kingdom?  

Doesn't that mean that what Christ has designed me to be isn't what HE designed you to be. Which means your walk with HIM isn't the walk I have with HIM!  There goes the one size fits all theroy.

Which blows out of the water the  just do these 3 steps to  acheive a perfect Christian life book or the 12 step plan to rid yourself of a deep rooted issue or sin won't fit everyone's need.  These are great tools
 but I might not need the hammer tool when all I really need a flat head screwdriver tool
to get my job done according to GOD's plan for my life!

The Bible itself teach us be seperate of this world but live to live in this world.  Where does it say that we have act, walk, talk, dress, and live all the same way?
Some of Mans interperations say we have to live by this and that.

  Yes there are some scriptural guidelines we should follow like the 10 commandments and
 for me God has asked me to wear the modest clothing (dress skirts two layers on top showing very little skin, and long hair, modest natural looking makeup or no makeup at all.
 But this for me, this is for my walk with JESUS.

   There are plently of other modest womans clothing like pant suits, and shirts that don't show off the female figure but  God is showing me how to obiedient to HIS path right now for my life.
  I don't care that you wear pants, that you cut your hair, that you wear wear make up and trendy clothes thats your path, your journey, your witness tools.

 What happend to love, joy peace and compassion?
  Treat other the way you want to be treated.
 Love the Lord Thy God as you love yourself.

What happend to the foundation of our Christain walks.
 Excepting Jesus as our savior because he died on the cross for everyone! 
Not just those who follow a mans church rules to a "T" or those who did the steps
in a book to become the perfect little Christian.  We don't all need to walk, talk, act, or dress the same to be a Christian we do need to have the right HEART to be a Christian.  

We have to be willing to see that my journey isn't your journey nor is my path a straight path.
 Nor is that journey written in stone.  God tells us differnt things and gives us differnt tools to
help us get HIS job done. We may have to take that tool out of the tool box and then putting
 it away and then brining it out again to get GODs Job done correctly.  

We have to change our hearts to hear what GOD wants of us.

 All we really have to do is to let go and let GOD guide their life.  Let God tell you what HE wants for your life.  DO we really need another book to tell us how to live, act, dress, eat, pray? 
The Bible has all that so why does MAN need another book to explain it all?   The Bible explaines it all. We just need to read it and ask GOD for HIS guidience!  NOT mans.

So why this post well I struggle with how come I have to dress act and be this way when they don't? Why does this Church want the members this way and that Church members that way . Why are people of another church against the path Jesus is taking me and not excepting me for who I am in Christ. Why is my walk so important to them that they have to point out that I am not following every word in the BIBLE.
Can MAN really be the perfect Christian and are they that perfect?

Doesn't Jesus see past these things and bring us to the real Christian belief? Why can't I say to these nay sayers that I am just a human following God instructions for my Christian Journey and I haven't been taken down that path yet or that my path is swinging around because I didn't get what wanted me to get the first time or I forgot that lesson and need a reminder of something in the past.
  Why can't I let things go and just LET GOD?  
Why does it bother me so much what Man thinks.  

Just thoughts to ponder.


Debbi

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