lest we forget ...

reposting from 2005  ... this poem ALWAYS comes to mind on November 11th ... lest we forget ...

 

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

i remember memorizing this poem in the 4th grade ... it was written by John McCrae in 1915 ... he was a Canadian medical officer in WWI ... i can still recite the poem by heart ... it made it's impact on me ...

today i think of those who have fought for a way of life we take for granted ... lives which ended away from home and loved ones ... we should pause and remember ...

Billy Graham turns 95 today ...

Happy 95th birthday to BILLY GRAHAM!!!   on this occasion and milestone birthday - billy will be  sharing the gospel, one more time, in a video format which will be online and on many of the Christian networks as well as some Superstations and Fox news - all starting tonight (November 7th) ... every thought of billy graham's faithful walk and witness - makes me smile!!!! so today I bless him and thank God for keeping billy faithful to his calling ...

 

on a personal note ... I went up at a billy graham crusade when I was 12 years old, and that has made all the difference in my life ... the gospel was presented clearly, forcefully and God used that message in a young girl's life ... so I am thankful beyond words ...

http://watchbillygraham.ca/
http://watchbillygraham.com/

9 years of blogging ...

 

i have just celebrated my 9th anniversary in blogland ... i can't believe how the time has flown by ... *cheeky grin* ... blogging has been therapy for me, especially the first 3 years ... i started blogging in the fall of 2004, it helped ward off some of the seasonal SAD that i experience and also made me focus on writing ... more therapy!!!  AND most important, it became an outlet for my faith ... i always hoped that my blog would reflect God's glory - to say:  ya, we all have problems, but we don't have to go it alone - there is ONE who desires to help us - lift us - love us ... JESUS , the ONE who knows us completely! 

 

and i have also found a community of believers - who have prayed & encouraged me over these 9 years ... as we have followed each others journeys ... it has been a blessing ... that is why i try to hang on to my blog - tho' it seems i have time constraints re getting coherent thoughts in a post ...

 

just saying - that i have been blessed by so many ... thank you, blog buds, for the prayers over the years ... one day we will meet ...

now is the time ....

 

the bible is always telling us NOW is the time ...

what are you putting off until tomorrow?

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving ... Canadian thanksgiving that is!!  *smile* ... each day is an opportunity for us as believers in Jesus, to choose to be thankful ... to choose to see the blessings we have all around us ... and to not take friends, family, all our loved ones - for granted ... life is fleeting - let's make the air around us sweet - with the fragrance of a life that has a grateful spirit at it's core ... blessings on ya!!!

one day ...

 

during my morning walk, i was thanking the Lord for everything i saw - the beauty of the place where i live ... and a verse came to mind ... "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard the things I have prepared for those who love Me ... " ... i thought ... WOW!!!  it's going to get even better than this ... one day ... some day ... soon?

a life well lived ... is lived for Jesus ...

 

celebrating the life and mourning the passing of my uncle reino ... he became a Christian at the age of 50 ... and walked with God until called home at the age of 91 ...

proclaim the praises of HIM who called you ...

the beach scene this morning ... God's faithfulness is minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day ... HE only is worthy of our praise ...  

giving thanks ...

when i want to grumble and complain - i think it's HEALTHIER to go against the grain!  to instead - remember all the things i should be thanking GOD for ... it's a game changer ...

I've read this verse twice now, just this morning ... it was used in 2 of my devotional readings ... it encouraged me ... and made me count my blessings ... GOD has been so good to us ... and we haven't even seen the floodgates of heaven opened up yet!!!  WOW ... thank you Lord ... blessings on those who stop by ....

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