to follow GOD is always a choice ... choose wisely.

have you ever been in situations when you wanted something, someone, a way of life maybe … but you knew it would be a bad bad choice for you?  and you pray, Oh Lord - stop me, somehow stop me … but nothing happens and you continue walking towards a way that will hurt you in the end … those are the times when people get mad at God … like somehow it is His fault for our own poor choices and less than pure desires … …. I have come to believe that those are the times HE has tested us to see IF we really want Him … above all else … above anything and everything … to love Him more than the desires of our hearts/minds  … to make HIM our desire … our choice … our way of life … and if/when we have turned our faces towards the only LIGHT there is in this world - Jesus our Saviour - then GOD will take that "other" desire away … and we will wonder how we could have even compared anything to GOD … how we could have thought to love anything other than Jesus … there is always a choice, choose wisely … 

without GOD, the puzzle does not fit ...

the pieces only fit together when GOD is in the equation ...

fertile fields ...

i don't garden, but i love the end results of those who do! 

Good Friday 2019

faithfulness of GOD and how posters come about.

our generation probably has more "view from an airplane window" pics than any other!  the sun was setting as we approached Phoenix, and looked spectacular ... the next day i had a scary choking experience (thought i was going to die!), and words from the 23 Psalm comforted me ... that's how this poster came to be ...

this picture was a random photo i took while reading the bible ... for whatever reason, i liked the way it looked ... the quote was from a sermon we heard a few weeks back ... i like to think it's GOD that puts pictures and words together, to make posters through me ... hope it blesses those who stop by.

the choice is yours ...

I'm reading the book of Jeremiah at the moment ... the verse i used in the poster is from Jeremiah 6:16, the first part ... the rest of the verse says "and then you will find rest for your souls.  But they said, we will not walk in it."

Sadly, such a typical human response.  God says, "here is the good way." ... we say "not for me!"  in the end, it is always God who is right. and we lose so much by not listening.

Choose this day who you will follow ... but please, choose wisely - your eternity depends on it.

John 3:15-17
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.

and i said to myself, it's a wonderful world ...

our amazing world, created for us by our AMAZING GOD ... thank you Lord ... and soon we will celebrate the greatest gift of all ... JESUS sacrificial death on the cross, to save us from our sins and to present us faultless before Him ... to GOD be the GLORY.

Angels, unseen helpers ...

how many times have we been saved from dangerous situations?  we just don't know ... but i do believe that GOD has sent Angels to watch over His children ... it's just His way and His love for us.

come away with me ...

loved the quote by Blackaby ... pic taken 1st week of March near Fountain Hills, AZ ... oh beautiful desert!

from my morning devotional ... "Unshakeable" ... rings true, doesn't it.

Psalms in the morning

i usually get a glimpse of a beautiful sunrise when i open my drapes ... but lately there have been cloudy skies obstructing my view  ... the Psalms still declare the goodness & faithfulness of God and i have saved pics to post the words on ... life is good ... 

PRESS ON, because you are valuable to GOD.

 as i was reading the Word yesterday morning, i felt the need to make a quick poster on what it said:  PRESS ON! ... i found this pic i had taken some months back, and put the words on it (i do this to encourage myself ... and share to encourage others!) ... then i read from Christine Caine's devotional "Unshakeable" ... and it went along perfectly with the idea to keep on keeping on ... 

we need to daily live out our lives for JESUS, this world is straining under false assumptions and wrong desires ... if we DESIRE GOD above all else - then PRESS ON!  our redemption draws nigh.

what we can see ...

another variation of the photo ... with a different quote ...  and what a wonderful truth John Piper shares!  thank you LORD!

new moon arising

i took this pic through a double pane glass last night as i was waiting for the eclipse (i did catch the red Wolf moon later in the evening - yay!) ... i like the way it looks ... b&w is always interesting ... the signs and wonders all around us continue to amaze me ...

be unoffendable

picture taken at the Scarf Sister Reunion in the fall ... with my phone, and the poster was made on the phone was well ... i have fun with it ... :)

reading through the Psalms

i've started this new year by reading the Psalms ... i will try to read them in a month (5 Psalms a day) ... but sometimes it's impossible to read 5 because of the amazing "stuff" contained in them ... obviously there is some time warp things going on, but the human condition is still the same ... in need of a Saviour ... 

Happy New Year!

Celebrating JESUS!

Merry Christmas!!!

celebrate JESUS!

'tis the season ... to remember ... God's great gift to us ... wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manager ... Let us celebrate JESUS!

'tis the Season

decorations are up, Christmas cards are almost all written ... it's beginning to feel like Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ruth Bell Graham quote.

picture taken this morning ... and i've been hanging onto this quote by Ruth Bell Graham for awhile now ... time to use it ... and also try to live it ... 

a repost ... from 8 years ago

i sometimes go back in my blog ... to see what i was thinking at another time and place in my life ... this post is from 8 years ago ... and it encouraged me today ... and reminded me of a BIG truth - each of us matters to GOD ...


have you ever had times in your life when it seems that your voice is so small, no one hears it?  when you call the maytag repair guy and no one comes ... when your normally speedy internet, just churns and churns, and the provider doesn't care ... when a loved one is in pain, and you can't do anything to help? ...


i have had so many incidents this past while, that it has to be more than coincidence ... it seems i'm under attack ... every day, my "smallness" shouts - "you have no voice ... it doesn't matter, so don't even bother trying!!!" ....


but it does matter - because though i may be small - the God i serve ISN'T ... and it is His battle, not mine ... i just need to keep my eyes on Him who redeemed me ... keep praying and keep reading my bible - which tells me that i was so important to God that He sent His only Son to die for me ...


the maytag guy may not hear me ... but God does!  the internet may be slower than molasses on a january morning - but God isn't slow to encourage my heart ...


yup - i need my focus on things that matter ... things that are eternal ... because though my voice is small and muffled on earth - it is heard with love and concern in heaven ...

my morning view

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.  ~ Jesus ... (Matthew 11:28-30)

Where does your strength come from?

Where does our strength come from?  From God ... who created the heavens & earth.   Now that is all the power we will ever need!

God's timing ...

good reminder when we get anxious!  

God has it ALL under control ... and ALL in His time.

strength for the day

for such a time as this, give me Jesus ... 

Scarf Sisters retreat ...

 it was a wonderful retreat with my scarf sisters a few weeks back ... ladies i met while blogging (14 years now) ... we were able to have a GOOD visit and share life stories ... and talk about our GOD and pray and fellowship ... thank you LORD for Your mercies ... 

thankful for another season ...

 Thanksgiving weekend in Canada ... so many blessings to count ... 

looking towards eternity ... and Jesus ...

i took this pic in the fall of 2015 ... 3 years ago already ... it seems like time is a speeding locomotive heading towards eternity ... time to seek HIM who will meet "the saved" on that train ... it's good to be found in Jesus ... the One and Only ... 

God knows the beginning and the end ...

it gives me comfort to know that GOD has all my days ordained ... even before i was formed.  even if i am only known to a handful of people in my lifetime - i am KNOWN to the Creator of the Universe ... the one Who designed me ... my life matters ... your life matters ... take heart ... 

a truism ...

i really like this Max quote ... truth!!!  :D

Sundays always feel special ...

sweet Sunday blessings on ya!  

double the blessing!

we had some torrential rains ... and then a beautiful double rainbow appeared ... it seemed to start (or end?) right in the river ...  somehow pictures never do it justice ... "God has promised" is what i think of when i see the rainbow ... Hope ... there is still HOPE.

Heaven came down and glory filled my soul ...

scripture from my morning reading ... 
sky from my evening walk ...

a post from 10 years ago

i came across this blog post today ... it's been 35 years now since we started this chronic pain walk ...

leo and i are celebrating an anniversary ... sort of ...

it has been 25 years since leo's first back surgery ... 25 years since chronic pain became the "third person" in our marriage ... 25 years of having our hope for health dwindle and the dreams of our youth eliminated ... 

YET, it has also been 25 years of learning to love each other unconditionally, despite obstacles which attempted to destroy our marriage ... learning to walk by faith - when human understanding failed ... 25 years of great valleys - and even greater mountain top experiences ...

an anniversary ... sort of ... 

* * * * * * *
points from a charles stanley sermon, that also mark the cornerstones of our faith:

- God controls our circumstances
- God will meet our needs
- God is with us
- God loves us with an eternal love ...

what are we worried about?

i am not perfect ...

how many times have i not done something, because i didn't think i could do it as well as someone else ... or felt inadequate for so many reasons ... but the GOD who created me, just asks for a willingness to be used for HIS glory and for HIS kingdom ... ok ... i can do that ... i am WILLING ... 

sundays ...

... sundays ... tv church ... quietness ... reflection ... yup, sundays always feel different ...

make time for rest ...

summers are also a time for resting ... visiting ... reading a book ... being outside ... just do all of it "In Him ... " ... blessings on ya!

encouragement

new heights i'm gaining every day ...

Lord lift me up and help me stand, by faith on heaven's table land ... 

a higher plane than i have found ... Lord plant my feet on higher ground.

Names of God

we can find our needs met IN God ...    

wait ...

a little patience and faith can go a long way ... 

my mornings ...

to start the day with God ... that is my habit and my help ... the second part of this verse says:  "show me where to walk, for I give myself to you" ... amen.

a relevant word for today ... from "The Word"

I've always loved that simple statement ... Be Anxious for NOTHING ... in the days we live in, that becomes a comforting thought ... and we are told what to do next ... "by prayer and supplication - with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God ... " ... don't worry - but pray about IT  ... thank you LORD ... let our hearts and minds be set on JESUS ... who is the Author and Finisher of our faith ... 

end of April's pink moon ... as seen from middle Canada ... 

God's unfailing love ...

it encourages me to KNOW that God's mercies are new every morning ... despite circumstances, faith in Jesus produces a joy that doesn't depend on anything but God's grace - for every situation ... 

always a good word in the Psalms

as life happens, quickly at times, it gives me comfort to know that Jesus is my portion ... whatever i may be going through - HE knows and is with me ... and HE knows what you are going through ... and will be your Saviour and Deliverer too ... 

JESUS is my portion

soothing flow ... love eternal ... comfort forever more ...
 JESUS is my portion ... 

Easter 2018

Happy Easter ... HE IS RISEN!