Monday, November 30, 2009

Wounded Soldiers

When sending your Christmas cards, send at least one to this address:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20307.

If we pass this on, think of how many cards these wonderful brave soldiers will receive....

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Saturday, November 28, 2009

The New Year

According to the church calendar, tomorrow is the new year - Advent. (Would love to find my Advent Wreath - stored it somewhere special, since I put it out before the Christmas decorations.)The Advent Season is a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of our Lord.

The wonderful thing about God is not only do we have a new year, He gives us a new heart, a new mind, we are new creations, the old unsaved person who wallowed in sin is gone.

Remember it's never too late to start over, He gives us a clean slate. We are washed clean by the Blood of Jesus.

The Bible tells us:

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

The busy holiday season is upon us...take some time over the next 4 weeks and celebrate New Year with the Lord...

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I hope you spend time with family, friends and the Lord.

Feast on Psalm 100:

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his [a] ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Friday, November 20, 2009

2012

I must say I am more than a little amazed by people's reaction to the movie 2012. I have seen the commercial for it a couple of times, heard people discussing it in line at the post office, in restaurants and even on Facebook. Some people really believe the message of the movie and are fearful which caused me to think...which we all know is considered dangerous by many...

Many people have been frightened since 9/11, people feed their spirit fear driven material daily such as It Could Happen Tomorrow (or something like that) on The Weather Channel, I caught part of an episode 1 day at lunch while trying to catch the weather forecast on The Weather Channel, the episode described what could happen in the Austin area if a brush fire were to sweep through the area...you know what, a lot could happen...but we are to fear not and trust in the Lord.

How do we trust in Him? By knowing Him. How do we know Him? We know Him by spending time in prayer, the Word, and worship. We know Him by spending time at His feet - listening like Mary did.

The Bible tells us:

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. (Not even Hollywood)

Luke 21: 5Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6"As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down."
7"Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?"

8He replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. 9When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away."

10Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

12"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13This will result in your being witnesses to them. 14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17All men will hate you because of me. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By standing firm you will gain life.

20"When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

25"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

29He told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

32"I tell you the truth, this generation[b] will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

34"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."

37Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, 38and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.

Let us keep our eyes on Jesus and not this world. Stay in the Word and have a blessed weekend!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

November 15 - Siesta Verse

I chose this verse after thinking about Psalm 16 through out the morning, it is also the Psalm apointed for the day (Episcopalian terminology)...

Psalm 16:7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.

Literally in the night I want me heart to instruct me in the things of the Lord, I don't want my heart dwelling on the things of the world.

If I am spriritually in the dark, I really want the Lord's counsel, I want to hear Him and know it's Him. I want to know Him and His word so well, that I will not be led astray. I've been down the wrong path before whether in error or willful sinning on my part. In other words: been there, done that - prefer not to do it again, though as a human, I know I will sin.

I pray you have a blessed Sabbath.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Ginger Snap Recipe

Here is my ginger snap recipe:

Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened (I prefer butter.)
1 egg
1/4 cup light molasses (I've experienced failure using black strap molasses)

Preparation:

Combine flour, soda, and spices in a bowl and set aside. Cream sugar and margarine. Beat in egg and molasses until light and fluffy. Stir in flour mixture just until blended. Chill for 2 hours or more. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls, roll in granulated sugar, and place on lightly greased baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake about 8 to 10 minutes, until set.

Makes 8 dozen cookies - so you can share with friends...

(If you need a quick fix buy Betty Crocker Gingerbread Mix, it's in the grocery stores now)

P.S. Ginger Snaps ship well...if you have loved ones far away or ship cookies to deployed military personnel.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Rejoice and Magnify the Lord

The last 2 mornings I have awakened myself praising the Lord. As I was contemplating the Lord and what He promises us in His Word, I cannot help but rejoice, as I rejoice I magnify the Lord.

When I was young I hated the word magnify in connection with worship because during Lent we droned on 1/2 way singing & 1/2 chanting a song which seemed to be 3 pages long with each stanza ending in praise ye and magnify the Lord. I so hated it, I quit looking at the words and their meaning. (In the old days, Lent was very austere in the Episcopal Church especially when we used the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.)

No matter what is going on in this life - and it can be very hard and painful, we have promises from the Lord and He is ever faithful.

Press into Him, get prayer support from friends and your blogging sisters. Feed yourself with praise music. Spend some time with the Lord. He is right there with us.

II Cor 4 tells us:

8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

God knows what we are feeling when we are in a trial or hard spot, it's ok to talk to him about it. Psalm 28 is very comforting when in the midst of trouble:

6 Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy.

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

8 The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one

Joy is coming...He promises....

Sunday, November 1, 2009

November 1st and another Siesta Verse

In all seriousness, this year has flown by quickly. The end of January to probably the end of May is still mostly a blur. As mentioned in my previous post, though filled with much joy and peace this year, my energy level has been low and I have not enjoyed gardening and other activities. This week I have been out weeding, cutting plants and flowers back, and planting fall flowers and veggies...enjoyed myself immensely. Went for a walk/run - did NOT enjoy myself immensely. When I walk - I think & pray, when I run - I simply try to breathe...maybe I should stick to walking.

My memory verse is Psalm 9:1, verse 2 will be my next Siesta verse.

I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.

Sisters - let us praise Him at all times with all of our hearts. Let us tell everyone of His wonders - for He is God! It's not about what He does for us (though I am not going to turn down a blessing or Holy Spirit conviction) it's all about Who He is!

Stay in the Word, it brings life, healing, and wholeness!