Psalm 94:18-19

when we find ourselves in a fog ...

look up ...

God's vision is always clear ...

for those tears . . .

For Those Tears I Died
Words and Music by Marsha J. and Russ Stevens
© 1972 Communique Music, Inc.



You said you'd come and share all my sorrows
You said you'd be there for all my tomorrows
I came so close to sending you away
But just like you promised, you came here to stay
I just had to pray

Chorus
And Jesus said,
"Come to the water, stand by my side
I know you are thirsty, you won't be denied
I felt every tear drop, when in darkness you cried
And I strove to remind you,
It's for those tears I died"
Your goodness so great, I can't understand it
And dear Lord I know now that all this was planned
I know You're here now and always will be
Your love loosened my chains, and in You I'm free
But Jesus why me?


Chorus
And Jesus said,
"Come to the water, stand by my side
I know you are thirsty, you won't be denied
I felt every tear drop, when in darkness you cried
And I strove to remind you,
It's for those tears I died"
Jesus I give You, my heart and my soul
I know now without God, I'll never be whole
Savior, You opened all the right doors
And I thank You and praise You from earth's humble shores
Take me I'm Yours!


Chorus
And Jesus said,
"Come to the water, stand by my side
I know you are thirsty, you won't be denied
I felt every tear drop, when in darkness you cried
And I strove to remind you,
It's for those tears I died"

* * * * * *

i was out walking in the rain this evening ... feeling sad ... overwhelmed and hemmed in by life ... i prayed as i walked along the familiar streets of our little town ... talking to the God who never leaves me, who understands my cry - even before it leaves my mouth- i just spilled all my frustrations out to Him ... He knows exactly what i am thinking all the time - so i may as well be completely honest! and the thing i love love love about my Heavenly Father ... about Jesus who has saved me ... and the Holy Spirit who lives within me ... is that They comforted me ... and not only did i find comfort, but it became a 2 way conversation ... i didn't hear voices - but i did "hear" verses that i've memorized ... verses that were exactly the encouragement i needed ... when i got back home, i was feeling better ... i'm glad that God continues His work in me ... yay Lord!

indie indie indie

cats are goofy, aren't they? ! ! ! ... indie is always cold ... not that i blame him this summer, it has been cold! he is always on the lookout for a warm spot to snooze in ...
he found my sweater the other day, and he wormed his way into the sleeve!!!

but a sleeve tapers ... and even tho' it was nice and cozy in there, he was stuck!

before helping him get out - i couldn't resist one more pic ... *laughing* ...

anniversary #35 ... yikes!

i honestly CANNOT believe that leo and i are now celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary! that's the thing about not having kids, we don't have those "living markers" to help us visualize time ... there is the old mirror *laughing* but i don't look in it much, so that doesn't count!!!

one thing about a long marriage ... and i suppose 35 years is getting to be a "long marriage"! ... you look back and you can see the segments in it ... like an orange ... you can separate that 35 years into parts ... first love ... first home ... turbulent times ... surgery years ... arizona years ... cottage living ... spiritual growth ... many many segments of life ... (posts sharing anniversary's past: number 31 ; number 32; number 33; number 34)

and through the 35 years - 26 of them have chronic pain laced through every memory ... it is a joy stealer of even the sweetest moments ... yet, it has also added empathy and continues to be a teaching tool ...

our union would have been disolved long ago, if it weren't for our shared faith in Christ ... to Him be all the glory ...thank you Lord - for being that glue in our marriage ... and more ... so much more each day!

fun with mom!

i was able to take a little road trip mid-week ... after making sure that leo had recovered from his virus and eye irritation (he had been feeling poorly for a few weeks ... thankfully he seems to be on the mend now) ... i hit the prairie highways and headed south to my mom's ... it's over a 2 hour drive (one way) ... but since she was all by herself, it seemed the perfect time to have a mom/daughter type visit ...

i spent wednesday and part of thursday with mom ... my step-father and mother are trying to sell their little house on the prairie, so that they can move north (about 8 hours from our place) to live near the baby of the family (who is only 33) ... tho' i will be sad to have mom move even further away from us - their current house is in such a remote location, that i will probably see them the same amount ...

mom has a large raspberry patch at her place ... leo's favourite fruit is raspberries! so she encouraged me to go out there and pick as many as i wanted to bring home to leo ...

as you can see, i did exactly that! i brought along my mosquito netting (i don't like to use bug spray) ... it worked great! it even prevented me from eating while picking - a few times i forgot that i had a net in front of my face and brought a juicy raspberry right to my lips, only to put it in my bowl instead!!! while i was picking berries, i would stomp my feet and sing - to let the neighbourhood bears (mom said there is a momma and 3 cubs in the area) know that i was there ... i didn't want to surprise them and vice versa!!

of course any visit to mom's is an opportunity for some computer instruction ... she wanted me to help her get more familiar with her laptop and digi camera ... i was happy to oblige!

time is such a fleeting commodity, isn't it? sometimes we look back and say "i wish i would have had more time for ............. " ... the only way to get the time - is take the time ... i'm so very very glad that at least this week, i did just that!

august already!

what a weird summer all over our north american continent, eh ? !!! my west coast sister is broiling in the heat ... and our usually hot prairies are soggy, cool and rainy ... ? ... i guess it's a sign of age that that though i'm not loving the excessive rain, i know i can't change a thing about it! so i'm going with the flow ...

the inner me is another story ... now there's a place that continually needs help ... really! there are spots which need a good spit and polish ... and other places that faith needs to build up, and grow in ...

with that in mind, here are a few good thoughts from recent Streams in the Desert readings ... hope they bless your heart like they blessed mine!

"Never pray for an easier life - - - pray to be a stronger person!
Never pray for tasks equal to your power - - pray for power equal to your tasks.
Then doing your work will be no miracle - - you will be the miracle."
~Phillips Brooks

"God will make our obstacles serve His purposes. We all have mountains in our lives, and often they are people and things that threaten to block the progress of our spiritual life. ... often we pray for their removal, for we tend to think that if only these were removed, we would live a more tender, pure, and holy life. ... These are the very conditions we need for achievements and they have been put in our lives as the means of producing the gifts and qualities for which we have been praying so long. ... The only way genuine patience can be acquired is by enduring the very trials that seem so unbearable today. ... Turn from your running and submit. ... Claim by faith to be a partaker in the patience of Jesus and face your trials in Him. ... "
~F.B. Meyer

".. you can trust the Man who died for you. You can trust Him to thwart each plan that should be stopped and to complete each one that results in His greatest glory and your highest good. You can trust Him to lead you down the path that is the very best in this world for you."
~J.H.M.