Thinking about Easter...

Resurrection Power 🗲

I love Easter. I love the joy of it, the significance of it. I love reading about Jesus and the empty tomb. Strapping on the sandals of Mary or Peter and trying to imagine how they must have felt. He is risen, He is risen indeed! Hallelujah! He did it! 

We hear the story of the resurrection and the name of Jesus echoed all around this time of year, even from secular sources. The message of the resurrection is surely one of love conquers hate and good triumphs over evil. Our hearts respond and we identify with these valiant themes. But as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus let's not forget it is for OUR sins he died. Yes, He conquered death and the grave. Yes, He wants us to live peaceably with one another and show love by reaching out to those who are in need. These are noble and important aspirations, and as Christians many of us stand convicted. But we cannot conquer hate and violence in the world without first coming to peace with God in our own hearts through repentance. Only then can we have a relationship with God.  All God has ever wanted is a relationship with you. The fruit of that relationship will be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Christ did not die for social injustices alone or to provide an example of how love can conquer evil. It was my sin and yours that nailed him to the cross. He willingly gave his life because of His great love for us.  Coming to Jesus in repentance and faith is the only way I can share in His victory over sin and death. Through faith I have been set free from the power of sin and death, and I have peace with God. Hallelujah, thank you Jesus! This is the power of the resurrection.  And this is the truth that will set us free!

"If you abide in my word you are truly my disciples, and you will know the  truth, and the truth will set you free."                                                                                                 --Jesus (John 8:31)

Ordinary Days

God is at work, even in ordinary, "hamster wheel" days.....even when it feels so routine. So meh. Lord, help me to see I am never on a hamster wheel as long as You are with me. I invite You into my day and fix my gaze upon You. I want to see Your glory. 

A Humble Faith and a Birthday Prayer

December 19
A Birthday Prayer

As I settled down to my quiet time this morning, I realized the date would have been my Pop-Pop's birthday. I started thinking about him and his influence. How I never knew what to get him for Christmas, so when I was old enough to bake I started making him cookies and candies. I still have his favorites marked in my very first cookbook on the kitchen shelf. 
I had not given too much thought lately to the idea of heritage - and as I started to think about my grandfather my heart filled with memories and thanks and I jotted down this prayer. God is so good to us every day; He was at work in our lives even before we were born. We have a rich heritage of faith. 

Thank you, Lord, for my grandfather -- his love for You and us, his fun and discipline. His morality, ethics and faith. He valued a pure, simple, and disciplined life -- good food, sufficient rest, a hard day's work, shoes that fit properly, the dependability of a man's word, love for family. Get to bed on time, eat your vegetables and bread crust, but don't forget to play. 
Good, strong, biblical values, our heritage. 
In this day of agendas and obligations, may I not lose sight of what is truly important. May I not sacrifice these precious values on the altar of busy-ness, urgency or distraction. 

Thank you, Lord, for George Michael Schoen. 
Happy Birthday in Heaven, Pop-Pop. And thank you for the influence you have had on my life. 

I'm going to bake some cookies!

God Sees, Knows, Loves, Gives

Why is change so hard? It is, after all a part of life. After walking this path called life for years you would think it would be easy. A bump in the road, or a brief shower on an otherwise sunny day. This morning I find myself facing change with a renewed sense of resistance. My truest, most honest response is "NO-oooooo! Don't want things to be different. I liked them the way they were. Can we just go back, God?"

Then I awake to my husband holding my hand, praying with me before he leaves for work...I sit down with my morning coffee and notice a pink glow outside--a glorious sunrise! Across the room I see the first bloom on the Christmas cactus. I open an email to find a song of hope and strength...God IS so good. And it is only 8 am! I'm thinking I can step over this bump and walk through the shower with a God who loves this much.

It is time to be #movingforward.

New Online Bible Study - A Confident Heart, by Renee Swope

I am so looking forward to this! This will be my third online Bible study with P31. The format works with my schedule (flexible, not overwhelming, hassle-free) and all you need is a paperback book that is available at Amazon or at the Proverbs 31 website. It starts October 13th. Join me?

http://proverbs31.org/online-bible-studies/2013/09/18/a-confident-heart/

Simple Recipe for Peace

Spending just a few minutes each morning sitting quietly before the Lord, palms up, head bowed...finding peace. So simple. 

Saying Yes #A Heart at Rest

I am Just finishing up an online Women's Bible Study through Proverbs 31 Ministries -- such a blessing!-- remembering to stop each day, look up, palms up. Focusing on God and His agenda, not my hurry-scurry to-do list. The goal is not productivity, not efficiency, not even Quality vs Quantity (gasp). The goal is obedience. YES!

#yes to God #palms up #radical obedience

Ready to Say YES to God

I

Looking forward to this online Bible Study sponsored by Proverbs 31 Ministries...with women from all around the world. I purchased my Kindle version of the book at Amazon for just 5.99 -- with that and my Bible and a notebook I'm ready to roll.... It's not too late to sign up. Join me?

Feeling excited and blessed!

Apples, Smoothies, and Dirty Floors

While sipping my apple/banana/ berry/almond milk and spring greens smoothie...taking a break from my (overdue) very late spring cleaning I was thinking about....dirt. Two things I can say about that which all would agree--1. It is dirty,  and 2. It is never-ending. What I have never appreciated about dirt is that it is not teachable -- no matter how many times I vacuum it, dust it, wash it, scrub and scatter it, it ALWAYS comes back. How rude. 
Then my thoughts wandered to the first fruit (probably not an apple) plucked from the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden...In all the sermons I have heard in my life, I recall many on the Genesis account of Adam and Eve and their disobedience; what we call the "Fall of Man".  As a result of their sin, they were kicked out of the Garden. I remember hearing a pretty long list of consequences that we have had to endure ever since, realities that have shaped the world as we and our mothers and fathers have known it for all generations: sickness, thorns and thistles, pain in childbirth, sweat of the brow, and, ultimately, death. Very serious stuff. 
Well, I do not want to cast any blame here, because (who knows?) I may have made the same very, very bad choice. But as I sit here, in the midst of my torn apart house, mop in hand, I got to thinking---Hey, you know, dirt has got to be on that list of consequences....I'm pretty sure that Eve was not chasing dust bunnies or scrubbing floors in The Garden! And we know for sure she was not doing laundry ;)
So while I contemplate the origins of housecleaning, I do have a sure hope that some day it will end. One day there will be no more need for Mr. Clean, Dirt Devil, Maytag, , scrubbing bubbles -- or even house cleaners, nurses, firemen, soldiers, lawyers or sanitation workers! Looking forward to Heaven, much better than looking back to the Garden of Eden. 
Meanwhile, my floors are calling me.


Revelation 21:4 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

Want to know for sure you are going to Heaven?  Your journey begins with knowing Jesus...

http://www.proverbs31.org/do-you-know-jesus/

Our New Addition

Warning - Beware of the Darts -- This Is NOT a Game

I've been thinking lately about darts -- I was never very good at playing darts, but one thing I know -- in order to play you need at least one dart and a target. A game of darts is not much fun without a target. Or if you never hit the target. But it's really not fun if you ARE the target!

In the Bible there is a passage that talks about the armor of God --  we are told to wear the breastplate of faith, by which we will be able to withstand the fiery darts of the wicked one. 

Darts of the wicked one? Really? 

Well, yes. If you believe the Bible as I do, this has to make you stop and think....so, I have been thinking - what are those darts, and, really, what damage can a little dart do? 

I have been making a list of those Dangerous Darts, and the list is growing. As I think about these "little darts" I have come to see that they are painful, damaging to my faith, and destructive to the Church of Christ.  

Disappointment, Discouragement, Distraction, Division, Despair, Depression, Debauchery, Defeat, Disparagement, Disillusionment, Doubts, Deceit....and the list keeps on going 
                         Down 

                                    from 

                                               there...

                                               THIS CAN BE DEPRESSING!

                  

                                                                                             and would be...if it were not for...

                      GRACE, which brings us HOPE and the best defense EVER.....

***GOD'S ARMOR***

Ephesians 6:10-13 

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, 
to stand firm. 

So before stepping out into your life-battle each day...spend some regrouping time with the Commander and, for goodness sake, 

don't forget your armor! 

To be continued....

From My Chair...(when I should have been asleep hours ago)

Waiting for the Big One...

          (Before gathering the milk, bread, batteries, and water jugs...)

Thinking how a nightly game of Solitaire or a couple of turns with WWF can be a great workout for the

B        A      I
    R                    N        
                           Check out this article, and P L A Y !

        
   DEMENTIA PREVENTION

At the creek

New Year's Visit 2012

Our nephew Brett was engaged to Stephanie on Christmas Day and wanted to bring her up to meet the family -- we enjoyed meeting them and they seemed have a good time -- especially target practice with Aunt Lilly and Michael!

The Butterfly Bush

 Just as the floodwaters carved out a new landscape in my backyard, the tide of fear, shock, sadness, and anger that followed carved out a new reality for me. Life is different now. In some ways, it will never be the same again.

The pictures above were taken in our yard on 8/27/2011 - the afternoon before Irene arrived.  This is our yard just 4 days later...The force and power of the water was incredible...

I was thinking today about Noah's flood...how incredibly powerful that must have been. Imagine the fear that filled Noah's heart as the rain pelted the ark and all living creatures outside perished. Imagine the faith, as he waited in the ark for the waters to dry up. Imagine the hope that welled up in his heart when that dove returned with an olive leaf!

Imagine the mud they must have stepped into when they exited the ark!

I found my "olive leaf" today -- a single, straggly stalk of green. It had been badly battered by the power of the flooded creek;  power that had downed trees, moved trucks, relocated boulders and bridges, had even moved houses off their foundations. It had stolen away large chunks of grass and yard, plants and flowers. Yet here, on the very edge of the eroded lawn, still rooted in the earth where I had planted it just this spring, reaching toward the sun, was my butterfly bush -- the survivor. This little bush not only hung onto its scrap of dirt - it waited until the waters receded and then mustered up all its strength to produce -- a blossom. A beautiful purple flower. Promise of another season to come, when all the debris will be finally cleared, grass will be planted, and (I promise) there will be new butterfly bushes planted alongside my survivor to keep him company....

 Irene may have taken much, but I am finding so much more that she has given. But that is the subject of another blog.....

Today is a new day. Tomorrow is a new tomorrow. I will hope, trust, stand, and reach toward heaven, and rooted firmly in the soil of my Father's garden, I will blossom, just like my little butterfly bush.

"For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Revelation 7:17

Flooding at Bakers.avi

This is Diane and Jere Baker's home, just a little bit down the road from the neighbors we stayed with during the storm. It was taken on Sunday afternoon as the storm was winding down and after the waters had receded quite a bit. Diane and Jere had evacuated early that morning, heading for higher ground in their camper.

It's Going...video.avi

The Fury of Irene - a photo journal

This was taken in our backyard just one day before Irene's visit.

Tropical storm Irene produced flooding in our area unlike any other event in the memories of even our eldest residents. Per some officials, this is the kind of flood that only happens every 500 years. Our beautiful mountaintop is devastated, but not defeated. The first few pictures are of our home, and areas within walking distance. I haven't yet been brave enough to explore nearby towns. Neighbors are helping neighbors, as bad as it was, it could have been much worse. There are many stories of lives that were saved. Our home, as bad as it looks on the outside, was perfectly preserved on the inside. Once we climbed over pieces of asphalt, branches, debris, a couple of partially buried vehicles and up the ramp that used to be our deck and opened the door to our home, we found the interior to be just the way we had left it - dry and undisturbed. We thank God for His mercy and pray for our friends and neighbors who are suffering many losses. The power of Irene was great, but our God is much greater!

Searching for Home

We tried to catch a glimpse of our home on Sunday, wondering if it had survived the floodwaters.

Irene flooding on the Batavia Kill

This was taken in Maplecrest, standing on the bridge beside Morrow's store - on Sunday afternoon 8/28/2011. The waters had already receded quite a bit. The bit of white in the distance is our garage. Our house would have been behind the row of pine trees. We did not know if it had survived the flood or floated downstream - until the next day when we were able to walk there. The white house is next door; our neighbors were trapped on the second floor during the storm, flashing lights to the fire dept to let them know they were there. No one could get to them until after the storm. They are OK.