The Love of God

The Love of God
Words by Fred­er­ick M. Leh­man and Music by Clau­dia L. Mays


The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Refrain

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

i woke up humming this old hymn ... the words ring true to my ears and heart ... His blessings are new every morning ...

happy birthday to me ...

yes another year is added to the countdown of my own mortality!

so happy birthday to me ... *grin* ...

the song that comes to mind as i think of the years i've lived - is the johnny appleseed song of grace ... please indulge the birthday girl and sing along ...

Oh, the Lord's been good to me.

And so I thank the Lord

For giving me the things I need:

The sun, the rain and the appleseed;

Oh, the Lord's been good to me.

now off to slumberland ... tomorrow the plan is to share the cake that my aunt made with whoever might drop by for coffee ... *smile* ...

busier lifestyle ...

after 3 weeks of bitterly cold weather, it has finally lifted ... we're back to seasonal temps and might i dare say "walking weather" ... how wonderful that sounds!!!!

even though it has been so cold, my life has been busier than usual ... company and settling in here at condo central, have made time fly!

yesterday, one of my childhood buds dropped by ... with gifts and a cake! the cake was a rich chocolate affair, that we quickly ate half of! and the gifts were 3 wooden johan flowers ... they are made by a finnish designer, johan puu ...


as you can see, i wasted no time putting them up ... you can check them out closer on my finnish home ....

the other two were different in colour ... one was red and the other blue ... i really love them ... i'm looking at the flower pictured above, as i type this ... *grin* ...

well i am getting more company today ... and possibly company on sunday ... so i must scoot ...

just had to share the lovely gift ... God's goodness is fresh every day ...

Happy Valentine's day!

The Way of Love

1 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. 2 If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. 3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

8-10 Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

11 When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

12 We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

13 But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

1 Corinthians 13 (The Message)

antiques anyone?

my west coast sister is here in the prairies ... visiting and experiencing our dry cold! we teased her about the timing of this visit ... the dead of winter, during an extremely frigid spell ... she said atleast there's no mosquitoes! :o)

i picked her up from the city yesterday and brought her out to our little area ... we braved the weather to go out walking ... one of our stops was the local antique shop ... she loved it and educated me on the hidden treasures she found ... at a very reasonable price. .... as she handled an item, she would whisper its west coast worth to me ... her eyes would glow as she contemplated a purchase ... it was fun! ... i only wish we would have had more time ...

her visit was a breath of springtime during this prolonged period of cold ... just what my winter weary heart needed ...

sheep ...

i love this picture ... it almost looks like the sheep are being kept safe by invisible means ... even though there is a frosty storm overtaking the rest of the land, they are safe and secure ... totally at rest - not even aware of any danger ...

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.
~John 10: 27-29

focus

at times it seems that everything works against a believer ... distracting us from the REAL task ahead ... i often stop and ask myself ... "will this matter in eternity?" ... that is my own personal checklist ... short, sweet and to the point ...

whatever may be bothering you today ... ask yourself, "will this matter in eternity?" ...

sunrise at 40 below ...

have you ever wondered what a sunrise at -40F/-40C looks like? take a gander at the picture above ... this was the view from our dining room window, first thing this morning ...

there was an eiry glow ... ice mist shrouded the frozen river ... cars drove slowly, with engines whining ... towns folk stoically went for their morning walks, bundled up - layer upon layer upon layer ... schools were cancelled ...

the beauty was there ... in such a breath-taking way ...

cold is peaceful too ... i mean, when was the last time you heard of eskimos wanting to do harm to mankind? or northern countries spoken of as dangerous melting pots?

cold like this is a forced rest to those of us that live on this tundra ... and for me, who needs to finish unpacking ... it was a very fine productive day!

and despite the frigid weather, i could still say " this is the day the Lord has made, i will rejoice and be glad in it! " ... maybe said with a wee bit of defiance!

ode to hibernation!

i have been hibernating!!! when it gets cold ... like -30C and even COLDER ... i hibernate ... a good book ... a warm blanket ... and a hot drink ...

this morning it was -38.5C when i got up ... brrrrrrrr ... i am SO thankful that we are in our condo ... it is cozy, toasty here ... the rental was quite drafty, and we just couldn't stay warm on really cold nights ... but here, we are quite content!

next week, my west coast sister is coming to visit ... um, i sure hope she doesn't freeze! they barely get snow in Victoria - and the grass is green all year round ... but the prairies dance to a different tune, played by jack frost ... and the frosty pipers ...

the cold makes me babble ... *grinning* ... did you notice?

anyway, nothing too terrible profound, just thought i would post - incase you wondered where i was!

just hibernating ...

Inside myself is a place where I live all alone,

and that's where I renew my springs that never dry up.

~Pearl Buck

in praise of small towns

our town has only a few thousand residents ... the surrounding cottage country adds thousands more in the summer ... but those of us who have been here for a while, have atleast face recognition of each other ...

yesterday, when my aunt and i were shopping, i was chatting with our local grocer (who had carried our bags to my car) ... i happened to mention that the shelving units i had ordered, were now waiting for me at the sears catalogue outlet ... immediately he asked how i was getting them home? i just told him the backseat went down in our car, and that was how we'd wrangle them in via the trunk ... oh no no no, he said, he would get them ... after a bit of back and forth (i heard The Voice whisper in my ear to allow someone to do the kindness they were offering to do) ... we agreed to meet after my aunt and i had finished shopping ...

about 45 minutes later, i went back to the grocery store ... when i found mr. grocer, he just said "all done" ... i was puzzled since i didn't think he knew my last name ... how could he get the order from Sears? ... well - somehow he had! ... and since all the business owners know each other, mr sears outlet knew it was ok to release my order to mr. grocer! ... then mr. grocer trucked the 2 heavy boxes to the condo ... he unloaded them by himself - not allowing leo to do anything but open the door! ... like he said, "all done" ... only in small towns, eh!

so yesterday we put the units together and i spent last night unpacking my books ... "my books" said with much love! ...

... contented sigh ...

it may turn nasty cold out there ... but condo central is starting to shape up and feels ever so much like home ... home, in our little town ...

It is summertime in my heart,
It is summertime in my heart;
Since Jesus saved me - New life He gave me -
Even in wintertime, it's summer in my heart!

africa ...

last november i posted about Jaako and his vision to help the children in malawi ... well the little guy is actually there! ... :o) ... he is distributing much needed supplies and sharing the gospel ... now that is some start for a 9 year old! his personal account can be found at hope for malawi

africa seems to be on everyone's hearts these days ... we have all heard of oprah's school that just opened up in south africa ... jaako's vision took him to malawi ... and after 4 years of careful planning and fund raising, a winnipeg teacher - along with her class - has just recently arrived in Senegal ... Lindor Reynolds (a winnipeg free press reporter) went along to document the activities ... winnipeg free press blogs/reynolds ...

yes, i know we have poor here in north america too ... but i think that the level of poverty in a third world country is something we can't truly envision - unless we go there ... i am sure that everyone's lives will be changed forever, after seeing what true need is all about ...

these are just 2 stories that i've been following lately ... just in case you want to take a peek into what some young people are up to ... i find it quite admirable.

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one. ~Mother Teresa

perspective

So much in life depends on "where you're

coming from "as you face your

circumstances. The secret, of course, is

perspective. Even bad news can sound like

good news if it is seen from a certain

vantage point.

~Charles R. Swindoll

currently reading ....

leo chose our morning 'read out loud' book ... he wanted to hear about "heaven, better by far" ...

it has been a good read ... nothing overly deep, yet there have been insights along the way ... a fresh look at familiar passages ... and thoughts from a bible scholar who would soon step across the divide between the here and now ... into the hereafter ...

this was Dr. Sanders last book ... shortly after completing it, he slept away into eternity ...

and as we've been reading this book, the reality of our own mortality has made itself known ... it's taken the form of cancer being diagnosed in close family members ... also reminders in our own bodies of their short term make-up ... only our spiritual lives were built with eternity in mind ...

quoted from page 149, "Heaven, better by far" ...

On one occasion Dwight L. Moody, the great American evangelist, said,

Some day you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody of East Northfield is dead. Don't you believe one word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher, that's all - out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal; a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint, a body fashioned like His glorious body. I was born of the flesh in 1837. I was born of the Spirit in 1856. That which is born of the flesh may die. That which is born of the Spirit will live for ever.

enjoying the moment ...

can't you just feel the relaxation pouring out of this laid back cat! he found a sunny spot and took advantage of it ... i can just imagine how warm his fur feels ... he looks so comfy and drowsy, with eyelids half closed ... living in the moment is that good ...

Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life,

and the labors of life reduce themselves.

~Edwin Way Teale

a proverb ...

I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
Proverbs 4:11-13

on the lighter side ...

this is a typical prairie province winter conversation!

so what do you guys who have to deal with hurricanes and other warm weather problems, say?

doomsday clock ...

i see they changed the doomsday clock today ... the scientists who take care of it, moved it two minutes closer to midnight ... the official reading is "five minutes to midnight" ... apparently global warming was added to the mix ... along with the nuclear threat ...

i'm so glad that my life and times are in God's hands ... there are no surprises to the Creator of the Universe ... He knows ... yes, He knows ...

condo thermometer

what did your thermometer read this morning? this pic was taken from our dining room window this morning ... a might nippy, eh?

though not as bad as the cottage reading, january 2005 ... click here

talking weather is just the Canadian way ... grin ...


There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you.... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself. ~Ruth Stout

Jacob's ladder

this year i'm using "the one year bible" NIV ... to read through scriptures' pages ... one day readings include the old testament/new testament/psalms/proverbs ... i love to try fresh approaches to see how God speaks to me ...

this morning's old testament reading was about Jacob's dream ... "He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it." ... what a dream ... even as a kid, this particular story always captivated my imagination ...

when Jacob woke from this dream, he said "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it." ...

just think, Jacob wasn't in his usual comfy tent ... he had to use a stone for a pillow ... and the sky as his blanket ... it didn't seem like the best of places to be ... to top it all off, he must have been just a wee bit scared - leaving his home, where he was his mother's favourite son ... yet hated by his brother - therefore making flight a necessity ...

and then in the wilderness - he has this glorious dream ... a dream that makes him conclude that God was in this place ...

if i stop and consider the places where i've least wanted to be ... or the times that made me really shake in my boots ... well those were the periods that i look back on and say "surely the Lord is in this place, and i was not aware of it ... "

God was "moving and shaking" events in some unseen realm ... that only became apparent - afterwards ...

awww, sweet faith ... may we all remember that God is ALWAYS in whatever place we are in, even though we are not aware of it ...

Philippians 4:13

and we have ... a doctor!

thank you so much for praying for us ... you guys really don't know how much it means to have friends far and near - in prayer - on our behalf ... totally humbling ... and also - TOTALLY answered prayer!

we had to drive through really yucky weather ... snow and blowing snow, icy roads - yet it only took 25 minutes one way ... so on good days, it should be a much shorter trip compared to our old doctor's office!

the doctor took us in 5 minutes early ... we spoke with him for about 20 minutes ... he had no problem taking leo on - and NO problem giving leo his usual list of meds ...

WOW! we are so thankful ...

we also felt comfortable with the new office staff ... especially the receptionist, who was very very nice ... the receptionist at our old doctors office - didn't like us - we never knew why?

this was all probably God's way of moving us on ... though we were shaking in our boots ...

so thank you, AGAIN, for your prayer ... we are tired, yet at peace & joyful!

a new doctor - we hope!

anybody with any sort of chronic problem, shudders, just shudders - at the thought of being without a doctor ...

leo is without a doctor ...

his family physician suddenly gave up his practice ... we hoped that the remaining partner would take leo on ... but yesterday, when we went to see him - he said "nope" ... "good luck" ...

uh ... ok?

sigh ...

we do have an appointment to see another new doctor ... the appointment is on thursday ... so if you think of leo, would you please pray that he hits it off with this fellah ... and that the doctor wouldn't be afraid to take on someone with chronic pain and a long list of meds that are required ...

a friend shared this thought with me ... " living by faith sometimes means walking in the dark, it never means living without a light" ...

Jesus lights our way ... one step at a time ...

Christmas remnants

the amaryllis is still blooming ... a gift from an old neighbour ...
a tray of hot chocolate stands ready to be mixed and frothed ... a gift from my aunt ...

sweet remnants of the Christmas holidays linger on ...

the new year is just awakening ... ready to be explored ... are you ready for an adventure?!!

Be assured, if you walk with Him and
expect help from Him, He will never fail you. ~George Mueller

Give as freely as you have received! ~Jesus

a helping hand ... or was it?

it has been absolutely balmy weather here in the prairies ... daytime highs have been above freezing ... so i have tried to take the opportunity to go for walks every day ...

yesterday i had an interesting encounter on the home stretch of my jaunt ... i met up with a fellow who was walking his bike ... with 2 feet of snow on either side of the sidewalk, i was going to get out of his way - especially since he seemed to be limping along painfully slow ... he saw me and started to do the same, moving near the snowbank - when all of a sudden, he lost his balance! he did a face plant in the snow, with his bike landing on top of him ...

i hurried over and took the bike off the poor guy, and offered him my hand - but that didn't work, he was too heavy for me to yank to his feet ... so he floundered around in the deep snow for a bit - with me tending to his bike ... finally he crawled/rolled his way out of the snowbank ... onto the sidewalk ... on his hands and knees ... then after 2 failed attempts, he made it to his feet ...

as he swayed there in front of me, i realized what his REAL problem was ... whoooo his breath could have peeled wallpaper ...

that was probably why he wasn't riding his bike, he couldn't stay on it or steer straight ...

i just chuckled at the scene we must have made ... me holding his bike, as he struggled to get back up and onto his unsteady feet ...

yup yup ... our little town has a varied group of folks in it ...

thinking of blogging ... but but but ...

just popping by ... saying hi ... *grin*

the unpacking is going well ... there is so much to do ... and i am enjoying it all ...

For disappearing acts, it's hard to beat what happens to the eight hours supposedly left after eight of sleep and eight of work. ~Doug Larson

first day of 2007 ...

hope you all had a most excellent first day of 2007 ...

leo and i are still amazed that just one year ago, we were still living in our cottage ... with no idea where we would move to ... our waiting place, the rental, showed up a few weeks later ... and for sure, we had no idea that we would be living right in our little town, in the condo we wanted, for this holiday season ...

well ... all of the changes in our life, brought to mind a post that Becky (who hasn't blogged in a very long time now) wrote a few years back ... it is such a true thought ...


Trusting The Man That Died For Me

" My child, you can trust the Man that died for you.
If you can't trust Him who can you trust?"

These words fell from the pages of my Streams In The Desert devotional book and landed in my lap with a thud. The simplicity of this statement stunned me. Of course, it's so obvious! Why would the man who died for me, not take absolute care of me? I mean, it wouldn't make any sense for Him to go through all the anguish and humiliation and suffering that He did for my sake, just to let me flounder about on my own power and stumble and fall and just lay there drowning in sadness and discouragement. Surely, He wants to see me thrive and bloom and grow so that others will see and notice and say, "Hey, there goes that girl that Jesus died for. Wow, what a difference He's made in her life." And so, I will trust this Man that died for me with every little detail of my life. It just makes sense.

2 0 0 7

Happy New Year!

this year of our Lord, two thousand and seven ...

my daily walks ...

you ask, "how have the days between Christmas and the soon to be new year, been?"

"why just splendid!", i respond ... "and yours?" ... *grin* ...

i have taken walks every day, here in our little town ... thoroughly enjoying the sights and sounds of children on holiday, sliding down the hill at the town dock ... of couples walking hand in hand ... seniors going to the local restaurant for coffee ... all the normal, small town activity ...

i smile at everyone i meet and say "hi" ... or ... "isn't the weather lovely?" ... community banter ... face recognition ... some motorists wave, recognizing my familiar green coat ... homemade touque on my head ... i do tend to bundle up!

i also keep up a constant chatter with my Heavenly Father ... "thank you Lord for this peaceful moment" ... "i love you Lord, thank you for this glorious day" ... there is always something to thank Him for ... along with my usual prayer requests ....

on the 27th, there was hoarfrost on the trees ... and as i walked along the sidewalk, tiny pieces started to trickle down and float free ... diamonds everywhere ... it was so spectacular, i thought i had walked into an old-fashioned hollywood movie set!

yup ... i have been thoroughly enjoying our condo ... so many blessings which tend to overflow the heart of one small woman!

What a beautiful thing, God, to give thanks,
to sing an anthem to you, the High God!
To announce your love each daybreak,
sing your faithful presence all through the night,
You made me so happy, God
I saw your work and I shouted for joy.
How magnificent your work, God!
How profound your thoughts!

~Psalm 92 (portions)

sweet reminder ...

As the centuries pass, the evidence is accumulating that, measured by His effect on history, Jesus is the most influential life ever lived on this planet.
-- Historian Kenneth Scott Latourette

boxing day ...

it's boxing day in Canada ... an old British term ... most folks have the day off, except for retail ...

it was a good day here in our little town ... our first boxing day in the heart of this little community ... we watched kids walking by, pulling their sleds ... going to the town dock to do some sliding ... young couples pushed baby carriages (there is so little snow this year) ... and people have even been riding their bikes! ...

unlike the city, all the stores in town are closed ... all the stores, except for one ... when i noticed people walking to town and coming back with bags - why i put my coat on to go look see what type of Christmas deals could be had! my aunt and i met at this bargain store and we each had a few bags to lug home ... but it was fun ...

now, leo is watching junior hockey ... and i think i will read the paper ...

can you stand the excitement? *smile*

all is well with heart and hearth ... the simple blessings once again rule the day ...

There's a River of Life

I've got a river of life flowing out of me

Makes the lame to walk and the blind to see

Opens prison doors, sets the captives free

I've got a river of life flowing out of me.

Spring up oh well, within my soul

Spring up oh well, and make me whole

Spring up oh well, and give to me

That life, abundantly.

~Author unknown

the intent of my heart ...

i posted this pic last night ... i found the picture first, then the saying ... put them together and now i love the way this poster looks ...

i personally had a really peaceful and wonderful time this Christmas season - all the way to noon on the 24th ... then i got another unexpected e-mail ... what is it with these e-mails lately?

anyway, this one truly hurt my heart ... i was able to shrug off the other e-mail of a few weeks back ... understanding, sort of, where it was coming from ... but this e-mail was so totally unexpected that the rug was taken out from underneath my feet ...

you know that feeling ... where there is an ache in your chest and you just feel awful? that's what i had on Christmas eve and most of the 25th ... i couldn't even shake it with prayer ... tho' i did do alot of that ...

i think maybe my skin was too thin ... i mean, so much has gone on in our lives in a very short while ... mostly good stuff ... yet emotions are still involved ...

well this morning ... as i watched the sunrise here at our condo ... having my morning prayer time ... i realized that God KNOWS my heart ... He knows the INTENTIONS of my heart too ... in this particular case, that i got chewed out for, i only had happiness and joy beforehand ... there was nothing else involved that i know of ... just a joyful sharing ... so my heart was and is clean regarding anything done to anyone else ...

that thought just freed me of guilt ...

i hate when i get sucker punched into feeling emotions that are not legitimate in any way ...

but i love when God teaches me a lesson ... and reminds me that HE KNOWS what is in my heart and mind ... and that is really all that should matter ...


"My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.

And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what he said, doing what pleases him." 1 John 3: 18-22

almost here ...

the day we celebrate is soon upon us ... the Birth of our King of kings ... who took our form so He could walk among us ...

no wonder believers celebrate with such glee ... we were once captives ... now we are set free!

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!"
Luke 2: 8-14

Christmas feelings ...

Christmas is a time when you get homesick - even when you're home.

~Carol Nelson

i posted this Finnish type pic last night, and i thought the quote went with it ... but this morning as i look at it - i realize that for the first time in a very long time, i'm not homesick for anywhere else ... i don't long for Christmas past ... or for people ... or for places ... i am quite content ...

of course it would be lovely to spend this time with family ... or to just once more, touch the face of a loved one that has died ... but it isn't the same sadness that usually overtakes me at this time of year ...

i guess being overly busy - can sometimes be a good thing!

i give thanks to my Heavenly Father for ALL things ... and not being meloncholy at Christmas is definitely one of them!

morning has broken ...

our fearless feline loves the sunrises here at the condo too ... notices how he dwarfs our 6 inch Christmas tree! ... our silly cat ... he watches people going for morning walks ... or walking to work ... it's a small town and you can get anywhere you want to be, in only a few moments ...

leo is still recouping from the uprooting and upheavel of the last few weeks ... folks that don't feel well at the best of times, well they need space and quiet to gather their strength once again ...

and me? ... i've just been puttering every day ... doing a little of this and a little of that ... trying to still be an attentive wife & friend to leo ... as well as an attentive niece and friend to my aunt who lives near by ...

it's in the little things that we find our peace, joy and place in the world ...

* * * * * * * * * * *

How tragic to move through the seasons

of life without realizing their ultimate

purpose! And what is that? The purpose

is obvious; that we might be saved . . .

that we might not trust in ourselves but

in Jesus Christ, our Creator Lord . . .

and, in doing so, receive from Him the

assurance of abundant life now and

eternal life forever.

~Charles R. Swindoll

clap your hands!

my blogging budding David Fisher from Pilgrim Scribblings, combined 3 of my previous posts for a little "blog warming present" to our new home ... check it out here ... of course seeing God's goodness AGAIN, in print, made me teary ... i tell ya, i've had so many happy tears these past few weeks ... and so has my stoic husband ... he used to tease me about the happy tears, until he finally got hit with a few of his own!!! the best kind of eye-water there is, from a grateful heart!

Vance Havner's thoughts one Christmas morning ...

taken from page 41 of "A Treasury of Vance Havner, Twentieth-Century Prophet, Preacher, Pilgrim" ...

The news reports this morning do not sound like peace on earth, goodwill to men, or even among men of goodwill, if you like it that way. Well, it didn't look so good long ago in Bethlehem. But God started something then and He is going to see it through. He who was a Babe in Bethlehem is coming back, and more dear souls than you might think are not only waiting but watching for His return. Here again the candles and paper bags come in. The church is not a little club with its main business now for its members to sit tight and hold hands until Jesus comes. We ought to light our candles after we get them out from under the bushels and the beds and let them shine, not to blind people with a glare, but just to bless people with a glow.

If we ever do that, every day will be Christmas just as every day for a Christian ought to be Easter and Thanksgiving!

my Heavenly Father knew ...

i was putting up some Christmas decorations this morning ... and guess what i came across? a card holder! yup yup ... i had forgotten that we had received it as a present last year!

i smiled to myself as i again thought of the goodness of God ... even in small matters, like a Christmas card holder!

yay ... Christmas cards!

i have always LOVED Christmas cards ... i would rather get a mailbox full of cards & greetings from friends, then to have a tree loaded with gifts under it!

i used to make a card tree ... click here ... at our cottage ... we had lights around the cards and when i looked at it - i would remember friends both new and old, near and far ...

this year i will have to try and think up a new way of posting the cards ... any ideas?

~~~~~~~~~~

I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month. ~Harlan Miller

freely, freely ...

FREELY, FREELY

God forgave my sin in Jesus' name

I've been born again in Jesus' name

And in Jesus' name I come to you

To share His love as He told me to

He said, "Freely, freely, you have received

Freely, freely give

Go in My name and because you believe

Others will know that I live."

~words & music by Carol Owens ...

i've been humming this song, these past few days ... i think it goes well with this season of gifts and love and birth ...

and since it was the first cloudless morning today, i saw my first sunrise here at the condo ... it was beautiful ... just beautiful ... God gave that to me, freely, as well!

it's taking shape ...

another busy day here at "condo central" ... *grin* ... the above pic is about the only spot that looks sort of homey at the moment ... but we're getting there! ...

thought i would re-post my "perfect Christmas Home" from 2 years ago ... i'm off to slumber land now ... blessings!


December 14, 2004
Perfect Christmas Home

here’s my idea of a perfect Christmas home . . .

there is enough sparkling snow to give that clean crispness to the air, yet it’s not so cold that the vegetation around the home is destroyed . . .

the place looks lived in, not entirely perfect - with the window frames needing a touch of paint ...

there is just something that beckons the weary traveler to stop in for a spell, knowing that there’ll be a seat by the fire and food to fill his stomach . . .

have you been a weary traveler in this life?

do you need a place to rest?may i suggest this perfect Christmas home . . . it can be found any where Jesus is ...

He alone can give us that perfect place to rest . . .

Sunday evening ...

there is a dent in the boxes ... a cozy feel to our new home ... and just a general peace inside ...

when that "peace that passeth understanding" comes to a heart, there are other forces that want to knock that peace right into next week ... but the Lord has given me that gift of contentment and peace and i won't let it go without a fight ... it just feels too wonderful and right to let any grinches step into my heart of hearts!

when the grinch came to visit our house today (in the form of an e-mail) ... i tried to answer it with love and understanding towards this person ... Christmas is very difficult for some folks, and unfortunately they lash out at whoever/whatever is the closest and easiest target ... next came prayer ... then came a hot bath!

now it is almost time to head for bed again ... the day was 95% pleasant ... who can ask for anything more?

Remember

This December,

That love weighs more than gold!

~Josephine Dodge Daskam Bacon

we're in ...

we may be in the midst of boxes and we can't find the kitty treats for our poor fearless feline, but we are MOVED IN!!!! truly a Praise the Lord moment!!!

it all went so well ... we started around 9 ... and we're all moved in by 2!!!! there are just a few things to go back and pick up and clean up ... but the beds are in place and made ... leo is watching his hockey night in canada ... and we are grinning!!!

but i am pooped ... so good night, from our condo near the river ... *grin grin grin*

don't hide your light ...

i sit here in the midst of boxes ... soon my computer will be packed and ready to be moved ... i am smiling ... i am tired, constantly planning the next step in my mind ... i am humming ... i feel my 52 years weigh down my body as i lift & tote ... yet, faith springs eternal in my heart ...

the earthly reality and the heavenly hope ...

and as i meet folks in this little town of ours, i tell them ... "did you hear that we found a condo? it is God's Christmas gift to us! we are so thankful ... " ... they smile and say, how wonderful ... and i reply "Yes, God is indeed wonderful" ...

i love that i can share this happy event and turn it into a time of praising God! it makes others smile too ... they catch the song in my heart ...

"God is so wonderful, I can't explain ...

but I can sing Glory Hallelujah, Priase His Holy Name!

He's wonderful, because He saved me ...

He's wonderful, new life He gave me ..

He's wonderful, wonderful, so very wonderful ...

wonderful is He to me!"

i wonder, as i wander ...

Jesus didn't have an earthly home to be born in ... just a stable ... yet, He has given us a home to move to - during this season of celebrating His birth ... i found that so ironic ... and so wonderful ... a present that speaks volumes to me ... it just reminds me again and again, that my true HOME is with Christ ... He knows i think that way ... yet, He gave us this place that we wanted ... and the timing makes me tear up ... a true Christmas present of the heart ...

I WONDER AS I WANDER

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

How Jesus the Savior did come for to die

For poor on'ry people like you and like I

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

When Mary birthed Jesus, 'twas in a cow's stall

With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all

But high from God's heaven, a star's light did fall

And the promise of ages it then did recall

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing

A star in the sky or a bird on the wing

Or all of God's angels in heav'n for to sing

He surely could have it, 'cause He was the King

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

How Jesus the Savior did come for to die

For poor on'ry people like you and like I

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

for Christmas hymns, click here

peaceful season ... moving season ...

For centuries men have kept an appointment with Christmas.

Christmas means fellowship, feasting, giving and receiving,

a time of good cheer, home.

~W.J. Ronald Tucker

Lord willing, i will soon be able to start decorating our new home for our first Christmas in it! this saturday is the BIG MOVE!

we are getting things ready ...

december 9th is our BIG move-in to the condo ... we have been taking smaller items over there since we got the key on the 1st ... we've enjoyed planning where we'll put the furniture, etc. ... things like that ...

we really love the place ... there is enough work to be done inside, to make it feel like a house - yet the major work outside is done for us ... which is great 'cause leo isn't up to alot of the normal upkeep ... i putter around as much as i can ... it is all doable or ignorable! :o)

this busy pattern makes for one tired blogger ...

so this is a quick post - as i head for bed! ... i am smiling smiling smiling ... praising God the whole way!

"Gratitude, like faith, is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it grows."
Alan Cohen