the night seasons ...

i took this picture of the super moon that appeared last night ... this was a 3 a.m. shot from our bedroom window ... and how the LORD does instruct in the night season as the psalmist said ... 

i miss blogging ... but it seems the well is dry at the moment ... just wanted to put in a "word" ... and to say bless those who stop by ...

be strong ... let not your heart be discouraged ...

we all have weeks that can be trying ... i'm a caregiver ... my husband is the one who deals with chronic pain ... and at times we both get tired ... on those days i need a word ...  i mean A WORD from Him who's Words are bread to the starving soul ... encouragement to the downcast ... a lifeline to the drowning man  ...

the Word that i got was from Ephesians 6:12 ...
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

i was reminded once again, that life here on earth is temporary and fleeting! ... if JESUS is our Saviour, then we are struggling with His enemy and ours, satan ... who loves to see the children of the Most High God discouraged ... but Jesus has already defeated this foe, Victory IS ours in HIM who redeemed us for Himself ... we just need to remain vigilant against attacks that are baseless and keep our spirits resting in GOD ...

yesterday morning, out of the blue, i quoted Ephesians 6:12 to leo as i was giving him his meds ... and this morning, Ephesians 6:12 was quoted in my devotional "daily light" ... coincidence?  nope - since there are no coincidences with God ... i think He gives a heads up on what really goes on during those extra tough days we may experience  ... 

may you find a Word of encouragement for your day ... i  know God has prepared one for you ... 

hold fast ...

may we all say like Job of old - that we have kept God's way and not turned aside ...

 

i've been having problems with posting pics again -  everytime i sat down to do a post - blogger would not cooperate!  so this morning, i just asked the Lord to give me a bit of wisdom - or fix whatever it was!!!  the answer may have been a combination of wisdom/fixing - 'cause i went to options, changed the html setting - and viola, i was able to download this latest poster creation ... i love when my little requests to God get that instant, "not a problem" answer ... it's something i need to remember - even tho' i may not see an instant response all the time -  my job is to stay on the right path - and  God will deal with the obstacles ...

 

blessings on your sunday!

the place of safety ...

choose joy

i've just started reading a book entitled "Choose Joy" by kay warren ... i'm sort of chuckling to myself, because it is a very appropriate read at this moment ... winter is hanging on, temperatures are way below normal and for seasonally affected folks like me - well it can be rather IKKY ...  however, joy is a choice (as i've known for a while now) - but to continually practise it can be challenging ... so i'm gonna be stretching those "choose joy" muscles in the next week ... yup yup ... the weatherman is not my friend at the moment!

EASTER VICTORY!!!!

the first Easter ... it started out sad - but ended in VICTORY!

 

thank you JESUS!

¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
¹⁸ “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. ²¹ But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
John 3:15-21

thoughts from church

leo and i watch "tv church" ... leo isn't able to go sit in a pew for a service, so we get our fellowship where we can! ... charles price, from people's church in toronto, is our tv pastor ... just thought i would share a few quotes from today's message ...

You see, sometimes the very thing the devil would use to destroy you, IS the VERY thing God uses to build you and bless you.

Do what is right ... God will make it possible ...

The state of the worker is more important to God, than the state of the work ....

it's about time!

 

it's absolutely about time i wrote something!!!!  my poor neglected blog, eh ...

actually i've had problems posting pictures ... a few times i was going to write something but i cldn't get blogger to cooperate with a visual ... so i thought i would try posting from the laptop - and look at this - it worked!  my "big" computer is just not jiving  with blogger ... ? ... but i don't mind working around a problem - if that is doable ... just a life lesson -  sometimes you go around the mountain, if you can't go through or over it ... *grin*

check out this sunrise from a few weeks back ... i was sitting on the couch just amazed at God's workmanship ... it seems so personal when no one else is stirring and i seem to be the only one  who is seeing the beauty of the morning ... i sit and smile and talk to my Heavenly Father ... feeling so blessed, even though life on earth can have it's hard spots - yet God reminds me that the best is yet to be ... i will enjoy my time here, share what i've learned and leave everything else in the Hands of HIM who was there in the beginning and will be there always!

birthday reflections ...

another birthday has come and gone!!!!  i can't believe how fast the years have flown ...  it was a good birthday - i felt the love through notes, emails, phone calls from friends and family ... there were even visits (though the weather was not cooperating!!!) ...  GOD is so gracious in His dealing with me, i could cry because i KNOW i'm undeserving - but "in the Beloved" i am redeemed! ... and so thankful!

this morning as i was reflecting on life, and lessons learned through the years ... God's patience in teaching and re-teaching things ... i thought about the day yet to come ... there will be no more lessons ... no more time to learn truths here on earth ... no more testing of our faith ... because one day (soon?) God will say "put your pencils down - times up!" ... and off we will go - eternity beckons ...

The Day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)

5 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. ² For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. ³ For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. ⁴ But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. ⁵ You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. ⁶ Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. ⁸ But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

¹¹ Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

worry

i want it to become more natural for me to have faith

- than worry about anything in life ...

it is possible - we just need to practise it daily ...

for we walk by faith ... can i get an amen? !!!

bit of whimsy ...

 

i looked out the window and saw these random tire tracks in the neighbours' driveway - only they didn't look so random - they looked like hearts ... of course i snapped a pic, smiling to myself, thinking how cool ... i imagined God drawing in the snow ...

choices ...

 

there is always a choice ...

january in middle canada ...

our big heavy saturday paper didn't quite make it to our door, it had snowed last night!!!  so i swept my way to it ... notice the orange bag ... so it's not lost in the whiteness!!!

 

and as i was out there, enjoying the sparkling world - i noticed how the bushes at either side of the steps looked like unpicked cotton!  i guess i'm having arizona thoughts, since i won't be going there this winter ...

 

the cold makes sun mirages ... or sun dogs ... sometimes they look like ice rainbows ...

 

all that pristeen beauty - yet with a bitter cold edge ... a typical january day on the prairies ...

to grow ... we need to know God's word

God's answers ...

as i was driving home from the city today, i was thinking of how God answers prayer ... i was concentrating on the patch of road i could see, the wind was gusting and the snow was  making driving difficult at times ... leo had prayed that i would have "clear sailing" coming home - and it WAS clear sailing ... just not in the way we thought ... God gave me travel mercies by granting me peace, safety and the absence of fear ... i am a very fearful winter driver (7 accidents in the snow have left a mark!), so the calm i felt as i navigated the dreaded winter white out conditions, was a very real answer to the prayers of others ... instead of changing the situation - God changed my heart ...

thank you JESUS ...

2013 prayer ...

 

this watchman nee quote was from my devotional reading this morning ... it went along so well with a scripture verse from another devotional - Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8) ... it reminded me to be pro-active in my faith - instead of being lazy in areas of study, it's time to dive into scripture more ... spend time in things that glorify the God i love and strive to serve ... my prayer is that 2013 is a banner year for those who love JESUS - may we learn more of Him and pray more to Him - so that HE can transform us into shining lights, so others may come to KNOW HIM too ...

 

blessings on you all in 2013 ...

waiting ...

 

 our house is prepared for Christmas ... our hearts are waiting for the LORD ...

 

"For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven,

which is yet to come."  Hebrews 13:14

devotionals

if you are looking for devotionals for 2013 - i thought i would put in a good word for the two devotionals i've used in 2012 ... which have blessed me and stretched my faith outside the box i inadvertently want to keep it in!

A Table in the Wilderness, by Watchman Nee (martyred for his faith in 1972, China) ... and ...  Daily Light for Every Day, scripture compiled by Samuel Bagster (1794) ...

here is a partial reading from A Table in the Wilderness:

"... He never asks us to do anything we can do.  He asks us to live a life we can never live and to do a work we can never do.  Yet by His grace we are living it and doing it.  The life we live is the life of Christ lived in the power of God, and the work we do is the work of Christ carried on through us by His Spirit whom we obey."

remembering ...

 

i put some lights up the other day ... to keep the dark days at bay ... next task - some Christmas decorations ...

today marks 6 years since we got the keys to our condo ... the full story i shared 6 years ago on this post: http://saija.blogspot.ca/2006/11/imagine-only-one-more-sleep.html ... 

 we were so thankful for God's grace in providing this particular condo for us ... we are still daily thankful for it ... home is important - we've lived in teenie tiny attic type places - and larger, open airy ones too - it seems that each place was perfect for that particular time in our lives ...

one day - our heavenly home welcome us, our "forever home" that we long for ... in the meantime, we thank GOD for daily blessings on this little blue planet - and the GRACE found in JESUS ...

blessings on your 1st of december 2012!!!!

sunday morning

 

good morning ... this was supposed to be yesterday's post, but i was having those blogger issues with pictures again ... but this morning, when i'm not quite awake or ready to post - LOL - it worked!!!

i wanted to thank those of you who left comments to my anniversary post ... they were sweet and encouraging - and i was even surprised by "new blog buds" ... thank you again ...

the pic i posted was of yesterday's sunrise, here in middle canada ... it was so lovely to just walk to the town beach and wonder at God's creation ... it seemed to be just the Lord and i out there ... blessed my heart ...

now it's sunday morning ... leo and i will have our tv church soon ... leo has turned into a 90% shut-in, as he is so uncomfortable with the chronic pain - if he goes anywhere ... but my heart is glad in Jesus my Saviour ... what more can i ask for, He has given me everything that eternity can hold ... may you be blessed too!

8 years of blogging

 pic taken on my walk yesterday

 

Now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.    I Corinthians 13:9, 12

 

i've been blogging for 8 years now ... in the early days, i posted several times a week ... but lately i'm doing good if i get  2 or 3 posts a month done!  yet, my blogging experience - and the people i've "met" through it - has blessed me MUCH ...

 

i first started blogging because i felt isolated during those cold/snowy days of winter - plus i wanted to share experiences with other caregivers or those living in chronic pain ... then my blog became a place to post photos with scripture - which i hoped would encourage those who stopped by ... it's also a place where i can share how our Almighty GOD has taken care of leo and me ... when i look back, i am reminded of Jesus' love during harder days ...

 

i've thought of giving up this space ... but i don't think that is what God wants me to do yet ... so i will continue to "work at it" during the increasing times when i want to just hibernate and not talk to anyone ... this blog is still my little lifeline to my faith family online ... i'm thankful there are still those out there who view me in the same way ...

 

Be patient, we don't need to know everything right now. In this life we won't be able to resolve every question, solve every problem or understand every situation.

We don't need to fret over God's timetable. We will inherit all the promises of God through faith and patience.

~ Roy Lessin 



sunrise in middle canada ...

 

yay!!!!  i was finally able to upload a pic ... that starts my day off nicely ... *huge smile* ... blessings on your week ahead ... i took this pic yesterday morning from my window ... as always, the Lord does lovely work ...

"Because of the LORD'S great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, 'The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him." 
~ Lamentations 3:22-24

canadian thanksgiving

blogger's not letting me load a picture ... but regardless of that slight annoyance - i am thankful here in middle canada for our many blessings, friends, family ... it is indeed a day of thanksgiving!!!!

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."
~ Psalm 107:1

grace ...

lovely lilies ... i took this picture at city park on monday ... i was touring a friend around winnipeg and we just enjoyed the lovely fall weather!  if only the seasons could be bottled up and the preferred ones taken out as needed!!!  *smile* ...

blessings on ya ...

amy carmichael

 

i'm reading a book about amy carmichael ... it's called "A Chance To Die", author:  elisabeth elliot ... amy was an amazing woman who loved Jesus over all else ...  i've always known about her, but this biography really shares (through letters, articles, etc) how difficult her life was - yet how amy willingly and gladly forsook all to share Christ with those who didn't even want to hear the message!  she had such a burden for the lost ...

that's my "light, summer reading" ... ????!!!!  blessings on ya!

If God ....

i took this picture while in BC ...then i found this quote yesterday - i thought they blended together well ... the quote says it all, doesn't it?

the nights are getting cooler here in manitoba ... though we didn't pay the weather much attention these past 2 weeks - we were watching the olympics ...  i think london was really showcased well during the marathon runs and other events that were out in the streets of the city - really beautiful ... i would love to visit those areas "one day" ... *smile* ...

the early bird ...

after some hot and humid days, we got some rain last night ... i caught mr. robin enjoying this little puddle - he was having his morning bath !!!!  made me smile ... we were on the same page - praising the LORD for rain!!!

C.S. Lewis quote

i took this sunrise picture on 08-08-08 and this C.S. Lewis quote caught my eye today ... so i merged them together ... though the people i want to reach with this quote, are the ones who most likely won't get it ... sigh ... how blind are those who refuse to see ...

consider the lilies

                                                               poster by saija

i took this picture the other day of some of my lilies ...

don't they make you smile ...

Consider The Lilies - Joyful Singers 

Consider the lilies
They don't toil or spin
And there's not a king
With more splendor than them
Consider the sparrow
They don't plant or sow
But they're fed by the master
Who watches him grow

We have a heavenly father above
With eyes full of mercy
And a heart full of love
He really cares when
Your head is bowed low
Consider the lilies
And then you will know

May I introduce you
To this friend of mine
Who hangs out the stars
And tells the sun when to shine
He kisses the flowers
Each morning with dew
But He's not too busy
To love me and you

We have a heavenly father above
With eyes full of mercy
And a heart full of love
He really cares when
Your head is bowed low
Consider the lilies
And then you will know.

                 ~ anon

canada day pics

today we are 145 years old as a nation ... happy canada day to us!!!  here are a few pics of life over the past few days!!!    and happy upcoming 4th of july to my american buds ...

here's my cousin's puppy ... we were trying to get her to go swimming, but it seems she just didn't want to - no matter how we enticed her!

my lilies ... there are 6 different varieties of them in my garden ... they are something that the previous owners planted, and i've enjoyed ... thank you Lord!!!

this is my front deck hanging plant, the one i see as i sit here typing ... i love these colours ... they make me smile ...

last night leo and i enjoyed the town fireworks ... we can see them very well from our deck ... the town is just hopping with summer people and visitors from all over ...

today the canada day parade walked by our door ... i love small towns for the simple sweetness of occasions like this!!

I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.  That every man may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil - this is the gift of God.

 ~ Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

posters and books

i made another poster ... i am slowly learning more about my photoshop program ... and mostly enjoying the process! 

i've also been reading gracia burnham's 2nd book, to fly again ... gracia is the new tribes missionary, who along with her husband martin,  was kidnapped by muslim extremists in manila in 2001 ... martin was unfortunately killed during their rescue  and gracia was shot in the leg ... i read her first book, in the presence of my enemies, detailing their year in the jungle ... and now this second book talks about her life back in the states and without her husband ... she learned so many lessons along the way ... talk about baptism in fire!

the other busy activity here in middle earth, is the celebration of my uncles 90th birthday, my aunts 85th birthday and their 67th wedding anniversary ... my cousins are holding an open house on saturday and we've all been doing our part to help get things ready ... happy occasion ... *smile* ...

blessings on  you ...

abiding ...

i took this picture on vancouver island ... and i bumped into this verse this morning ... so i thought i'd put them together ... to remind myself to ABIDE in HIM - so that i can WALK just as HE walked ... our walk is our proof of the love we have for JESUS ... it's not a works thing i speak of - but a love thing for our Saviour ...

i do like that word ABIDE ...

and here is a picture of my first rose of the season ... isn't it perfect?!!!   it makes me smile - and just be grateful for all i have, and the blessings i enjoy ... for which i THANK HIM for ...

my little post of praise for this day ... blessings on you ...

quotables

the flowers pictured above were taken in april while i was in BC ... the flowers here in middle earth are just opening up ... i feel like i have enjoyed a lovely lllooonnnngggg springtime - watching buds burst with colour all over north america ... quite cool ...

my poor blog is suffering ... i do compose posts ... but only in my head ... and i do wonder how my blog buds are doing, then life happens and i don't go check ... *frown*

i was at my eye specialist yesterday ... he put me on the glaucoma eye drops ... i have to learn how to put them in at bedtime ... hopefully they will make the eye pressure go down ... a new phase in life ...

just a short post ... i wanted to end with some quotes that my heart responded too ... blessings on all!!

* * * * * * * * * * *

"To hold on to the plough while wiping our tears - that is christianity."
~ Watchman Nee, martyred for his faith in 1972 china

"God never abandons us when life becomes difficult.  He is always with us and wants to help us, even when things seem to be going wrong."
~ Billy Graham

"We must live so close to God, that we become restless until God's will is accomplished through us."
~ life application bible commentary

home again ...

i had such a blessed and joyful experience on the westcoast ... it was GREAT to visit with my sister & her hubby and also with my brother ... yay!!!!  leo missed me ... he was fine at home and i talked to him a couple of times a day ... thank you alexander graham bell for that little telephone invention!!!!

i took TONS of pictures ... i mean my camera overfloweth!!! ... i probably have atleast one picture of every flower on the island!!!!  and the beach was an amazing place to get interesting shots ...  i just made the poster below - the Lord WAS faithful all during the trip, i felt very much at peace ...

i have to admit that i was GLAD to get back to our sunny and expansive sky here in middle earth! ...will share more later ... blessings on ya!

was it a morning like this ...

this song is powerful and uplifting ... it made me smile and say "thank you Lord!" ... wow, i love Easter mornings - as a saved sinner, i really feel redeemed!!!  HE conquered death, so that we can live ...

Easter ... it makes me think of being ready ...

i'm reading/studying the gospel of matthew in my devotions ... at the moment, i'm in the week before the crucifixion ... those poor disciples, with their expectations of an earthly kingdom, boy were they disappointed and confused when Jesus died!!   but praise God for miracles!! ... their disappointment fled when the incredible happened - Jesus actually rose from the dead!   just like He said He would ... they were shocked ... just as shocked as we will be when Jesus returns again - just like He said ... i mean, i believe it as a future event - but what if this is the year it actually happens?  i will be so surprised!!  because it is something way out of my normal expectations for a day - to be transformed in the twinkling of an eye - so, as i think of this Easter time, i also wonder ... is He coming back soon?

record setting day in the prairies ...

guess what i did today?

washed windows!!!!

earliest ever ...

it was 20C ... so i went for a walk afterwards ... talk about smiling faces everywhere ... and bikes ... and mom’s pushing strollers ... and t-shirts instead of parkas ... ? ... manitoba? in march? ? ? ?

we even set a record yesterday for the earliest day the thermometer reached 20C/68F in the 140 years that records have been kept in this area ...

tomorrow the forecast is for 26C ...

 

had to share!!! wa hooooo!!!

 

 

"... my heart exulteth in the Lord."  1 Samuel 2:1

He thrills me ...

i went for my walk today ... and it seemed that the snow was melting at a faster pace than my walking!!!  truly a beautiful day here ... 12C or 54F ... i mean really amazing weather for the prairies in march ... and it is forecast for the same highs (or dare i even say it outloud - HIGHER temps!!!) ... wow ... it's these little things that make me happy ... sunshine, health to walk ... reading the bible with my husband ... having family and friends to email, phone and visit with ... God's blessings are boundless and on a daily basis ... i thrill to be HIS child, basking in HIS Sonshine ...

i've finally been feeling better the last few days ... the cold that followed me back to canada made me a very lazy girl!!!  i was tired all the time - it was nice to have an excuse, anyway!!!!

i made a fresh poster from one of my AZ pics ... i'm glad that i dwell in GOD and can take JOY in HIS will ...

blessings on your sunday ....

winter vacation

leo is sending me away for a winter vacation - again ... i feel like the most spoiled of women sometimes ... he assures me that he will manage - and we do have all our 'helps' in place ...

so i shall once again be a very scarce blog bud ... blessings on you guys, as i go in search of palm trees and desert flowers ...

where to find comfort ...

when the going gets tough

... the tough read the bible.

strength for the day ...

i was listening to a sermon by david jeremiah (author of Slaying the Giants in your Life) ...  his message was the inspiration for the above poster ... 

the thought he left at the end of his message on worry was: “Don’t worry about anything, Pray about everything” ...

by God’s grace, we can try to do that daily ... especially since we serve the God who is “I AM” ... He’s not “I WAS” – tomorrow is finished ... or “I WILL BE” – that is the future – but I AM, as in the present – so He gives us the strength for today ...

first post of the new year

well look at that ... it's the 11th already and all my thinking of posting haven't made it onto my blog ... i guess i better just tap tap away to remedy that ...

it's been a wonderfully mild start to the year ... today is the actual first wintery day ... it's blowing 'n snowing and just plain COLD out there ... we were due!!! 

yesterday when leo and i went to his doctor's appointment, i was wearing a light fall jacket and just so thankful that leo didn't have to venture out in below zero temps ... then to top off our 'good feelings' - when we walked into our small town clinic, the doctor was already there waiting for us - early - with leo's chart under his arm ... can you get any better than that???  i think not!

i hope that the new year has had a good start in your world too ... blessings on ya!!!