without faith, it is impossible to please God

An old writer says,

"Faith and reason can be compared to two travelers: Faith is like a man in full health, who can walk his 20 or 30 miles at a time without suffering. Reason is like a child, who can only with difficulty accomplish 3 or 4 miles.

"Well," says this old writer, "on a given day Reason says to Faith, 'O good Faith, let me walk with you.'

"Faith replies, 'O Reason, you can never walk with me.'

"However, to try their paces, they set out together but they soon find it hard to keep company. When they come to a deep river, Reason says, 'I can never ford this.' But Faith wades through singing.

"When they reach a lofty mountain, there is the same exclamation of despair, and in such cases, Faith, in order not to leave Reason behind, is obliged to carry him on his shoulder."


And, adds the writer,

"Oh, what a luggage is Reason to Faith!"

Blaise Pascal wrote in The Pensées, "The last step that reason takes is to recognize that there is an infinity of things beyond it."


page 216 Legacy of a Pack Rat ... by Ruth Bell Graham

Romans 12:12

thankful

leo came home from the hospital this afternoon and we are thankful!

thank you again for your prayer on our behalf ... we are definitely tuckered out, but hoping for better days ahead!!!

blessings to you all ... saija

thank you!

leo is feeling SO MUCH better ... we are truly humbled by your encouragement and prayer on our behalf ... thank you so much!

this pic was taken this evening, we were sitting in the hospital arboretum for a little while ... leo is still getting antibiotics (via IV), but we are hopeful that he can come home tomorrow ...

we are just plain thankful that everything fell into the proper place, at the proper time ... and we appreciate our home life so much more after having this little bump along the way!

may the Lord bless you guys - the way you have blessed us!

2 Corinthians 1:11: as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

the view from the hospital room ...

this is the view from leo's hospital room ... yes - you read correctly, my leo ended up in emerge last night because of a 103F fever ... and he was rather incoherent ... not to mention falling down! sooooooooo, at 10 p.m. we were in the small town hospital emerge, where they were waiting for him (i'd called ahead) and he was in a room as fast as the wheelchair could go ... all the bloodwork, xrays, etc., were done quickly & efficiently ... and the antibiotic drip got started right away ...

i slept 3 hours last night ... and the poor kitty was by his lonesome, tho' he has started to eat & drink now ...

leo's fever has left ... but the doctor thinks the cause is still lurking somewhere in leo's lungs ... so he gets to stay another night or two ...

if you would remember us in prayer, i would appreciate it ...

we are thankful that things got taken care of as quickly as possible ... that the hospital is close by ... we know God is in control ... and i have praying friends ... which means - you - to encourage us along ... thanking my blog buds in advance ...

UPDATE as of 9 p.m. ... Leo is doing SO MUCH better! we had a nice evening visit, as his 3rd antibiotic dose, drip drip dripped into his veins ... i'm hoping he can come home on sunday ... thank you so much for your prayers! i felt comforted, knowing that you were all only a post away! blessings to you ...

everyone say "awwwww"

today was the day we found a kitty ... and brought him?/her? home ... we're thinking it is a him, but not 100% sure at this stage ...

when we got up this morning, we didn't think our family would be expanding - but who knows what a day holds!!!


the yet to be named little guy, took to leo right away ... cuddling up to leo in the recliner ...
and when leo went to lie down in the bedroom - guess who followed him?!!! leo is spiking a fever today (maybe a cold?) and cats are such comfort givers ... so this little one is making us both smile ...

he has used the litter, but so far hasn't touched any food or had anything to drink ...

i will be happy once he eats & drinks something! ...

so after "thinking about it" ... we did something about it ... first impressions are quite favourable!

fearless feline

it's been 4 months now since our fearless feline died ... and just this past week, we have been thinking about maybe getting another one ... but just thinking ... we don't know if we want to have our hearts broken again ... our fearless feline was the most unique, loveable cat we had ever owned (if one "owns" a cat?) ... and we still miss him terribly ...

Cat lovers can readily be identified. Their clothes always look old and well used. Their sheets look like bath towels and their bath towels look like a collection of knitting mistakes. ~Eric Gurney

be Thou my vision ...

cyber hymnal states that this hymn was first begun in the 8th century, then completed in 1912 ... the sentiments have stayed true over a 1000 years ... the poet and composer have long been with the Lord - delighting in the Vision which is now their reality ...

if our eyes are focused on Him who has saved us ... won't that help us see our daily trials and tribulations in proper perspective? it's something i try to practise ... knowing that " ... all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." ...

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

memories are made of these ...

33 years of living and loving together ... the time has truly gone by quickly ...

i've posted a few pics from the early years ... each one takes me back to a different place in our life together and evokes a different emotion ...

our engagement ... which was also the first time leo came over for a meal at my mom and step-dad's place ...

staking out our land ... where we built our first home - together - now there was a test of our marriage!

and just the youthful faces captured in the photos ... faces which once belonged to us!

"Lord i thank you for being with us during the highs and lows and all our tomorrows too" ...

my prayer has been that our marriage would be a tribute to how God can keep 2 polar opposites together and hopefully bring honour and glory to His name in the process ...


Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years. ~Simone Signoret

peace that passes understanding ...

i took this picture in Finland, 2002 ... the scripture was added today ... just giving God the praise for His daily blessings ... and the freedom He extends to any who are in need or hurting ...

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make her boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear thereof and be glad.

O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.

I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

They looked unto Him and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.

O taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him!

O fear the LORD, ye His saints! For them that fear Him suffer no want.

The young lions lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

Psalm 34: 1-10

continue on ... be faithful

i've just gone through a week of ... depression? could be ... just a sadness that made me weep for no known reason ...

as i rode my bike today, i mentally reviewed the past week ... with it's highs and lows ... and my mind touched on one golden moment ... right in our living room, 2 men shook hands who had not spoken to each other in 7 years ... it was a truly joyous occasion ... prayer had been answered ...

that's when i realized that this past week had just been the valley, after a mountain top moment ... the deceiver had tried his best to get my mind to focus on the negatives & sadness - and take away from God's goodness and grace ...

so with that new light in my heart ... i shall continue my pilgrim journey ... glad to be serving Him who will return for me one day ...

* * * * * * * * * *

this unnamed poem & poet was found in "Legacy of a Pack Rat", page 166 ...
from William Barclay's Commentary on Matthew - A black poet wrote:

"There's a king and a captain high,
And He's coming by and by,
And He'll find me hoeing cotton when He comes.
You can hear His legions charging in the regions
of the sky,
And He'll find me hoeing cotton when He comes.
There's a Man they thrust aside,
Who was tortured till He died,
And He'll find me hoeing cotton when He comes.
He was hated and rejected,
He was scorned and crucified,
And He'll find me hoeing cotton when He comes.
When He comes! When He comes!
He'll be crowned by saints and angels when He comes.
They'll be shouting out Hosanna! to the Man that
men denied,
And I'll kneel among my cotton when He comes."

everyone gets the blues sometimes ...

I awoke heavy ...
and heavy I prayed,
face in the sun,
heart in the shade.
As smoke hangs low
on a sullen day,
my prayer hung there ...
till I heard His voice,
"This is the day
that the Lord hath made;
... Rejoice ...!"

~ Ruth Bell Graham

Billy Graham on 20/20

old time magazine cover ... billy is nearing 90 now

just an FYI for you ... 20/20 on ABC (Friday night - 10 August) is doing a special on Billy Graham, and his ministry to the U.S. Presidents ...



i'm always curious how secular TV covers someone like Billy Graham - someone who always proclaims the gospel ...

the lost ...

sometimes i forget that it's not all about me ... my problems and difficulties and growth in Christ ... it's ALSO and foremost, about those who don't know Him ... Jesus ... my Redeemer and Comforter ... those who are on the outside, not even realizing that Jesus loves them and wants to FREE them ...

it's about the ones who have never heard ... have never understood ... who are rebelling against the God of heaven ...


Romans 5 says ...

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 The blood of Christ has made us right with God. So we are even more sure that Jesus will save us from God's anger.

10 Once we were God's enemies. But we have been brought back to him because his Son has died for us. Now that God has brought us back, we are even more secure. We know that we will be saved because Christ lives.

11 And that is not all. We are full of joy in God because of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of him, God has brought us back to himself.

to go? or to stay put?

i was up early again this past weekend ... saturday found me looking out the window at the faint light on the horizon ... the sun was just starting it's morning climb ... i wondered if i should take a quick walk to the beach - to see what kind of sunrise it would turn out to be ... but, to tell you the truth, i didn't really feel like going out ... however, i asked myself the "why not?" question ... so i went anyway ...

the picture below is one of the 20 that i took ... it was a perfectly lovely sunrise ... tho' this time, i felt a bit cold out by the water - the wind was gusty and unhospitable ... i also noticed a few beer bottles that someone had thoughtlessly discarded in the sand ...

i had a thankful heart, but realized that i wasn't "called to go" ... there was nothing special that God had for me out there - except the early morning quiet ...

so i shivered my way back to the house, spying another beer bottle in the very middle of the road (atleast the person hadn't broken it!) - i picked that one up so that a car wouldn't drive over it ...

i was glad to get back to my comfortable condo ... no more shivering in the wind ...

i turned the coffee on, and started to open the dining room venetians ... below is the sight which greeted me - right outside my own window!!!! a beauty of a sunrise ... just glorious ... sweet ... and mine alone!!!

after i took 2 pictures ... i realized another truth of God ... we don't always have to GO somewhere to see and be with our Creator ... nope! ... sometimes He just wants us to open the blinds - and He will meet us exactly where we are at!!!

harvest season ...

just thought i would share a few photo's i took this week ... my days have been full of visual beauty ... i just love summer in manitoba ... it is brief, yet brimming to the full with God's goodness ... all around ... to see ... if a person only looks ...

crops are being harvested ... i find it calming to watch the combines swath the fields ... reasuring somehow ...

my flower garden has new beauties cropping up, to take the place of the ones which have had their season in the sun ... each offering thrills me and makes me smile ...

and as i was watering these flowers ... i noticed the sunset - which held promise of being one of those "wow" moments ... so i grabbed my camera and went to inspect it in a more open area ...

this is what i captured ... very pleasing to my eye ...

i'm glad that God gives me these moments to rejoice in ... i look for any excuse to look up - and expectantly point my face towards heaven ... waiting ... just waiting ...

blessings on your weekend!

remember ...

just sharing a little poster i found ... to let you know all is well, life is just busy at the moment ... mostly in a pleasant - lots of visitors - type of way!

i'm so glad the Lord gave me this summer off ... it has been a roller coaster ride sometimes, yet to be at home has been glorious ...

blessings to you blog buds ... remember HE loves us with an everlasting love!