Abba's Girl

My family celebrated our 1st Christmas without my earthly father. My friend Lisa (we met in 5th grade and got into a lot of trouble together in high school!) and her mother were celebrating their 1st holiday without her father. I invited them to join us for the day. The Lord poured out His comfort, peace and joy...no tears, lots of laughter and lively conversation. We enjoyed the meal, the music, and fellowship. It was odd not setting a place for dad, but it was not as emotional as I thought it would be. (Again the Lord's comfort.) The Lord told me that joy would be my word as well as another friend's word in 2010. I will not name her because I have not seen her to tell her yet. It can be easy to focus on the here and now and the intensity of a situation and totally lose sight of the big picture and the light of a new day. Seasons come and go, they change, our situations change, but through it all the Lord remains the same. He never falls off His throne though we may ...

In Luke Chapter 1, we find these verses: 29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." 34"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" 35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[c] the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God." 38"I am the Lord's servant,...

Saturday morning I drove to Woodville, Texas for a day of ministry. 143 miles in fog that would rival any fog London has to offer. Jack and Anna Marie Sheffield delivered anointed messages from the Lord with such fire and love. (I'll save the joys of the trip back in the fog for another day.) The highlight of my trip was sitting next to Bob during the morning session and at lunch. He is the man I told ya'll about a couple months ago. The doctors diagnosed him with Downs Syndrome, I say it's more like Ups Syndrome. He gently placed his hand on my forehead and said be baptized in the Holy Ghost. It was so sweet I almost cried. He attends church with his sister frequently and also attends an African American church with some of the employees who work at his group home. During worship, Bob is so free...he says Hallelujah and Praise the Lord. He cannot sing the songs, but his statements of praise are so pure. I hope to worship in spirit and truth like that some day. At lunch...

Saturday night while I watched White Christmas, my husband decided to launder the dogs' beds and add a little bleach. (He is now grounded from the laundry room for life!) The next morning I got up and threw almost every black item of clothing I own which does not require dry cleaning into the washing machine and began to get ready for church. I transferred said wash into the dryer, ate breakfast, listened to music and got the clothes out of the dryer. I dressed, putting on a pair of my favorite cuffed suit pants, a black turtle neck and a blazer. As I backed out the drive way, I noticed odd, blue spots on my legs. Upon further inspection, I discovered them on my turtle neck as well. I raced back in the house and inspected the entire load of clothes...all spotted. Turns out, the man used a lot of bleach in the wrong compartment and it did not fully dispense when he washed the dogs' beds. Thankfully this was not a Monday morning and I did not need to be somewhere at 8:00am in...

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....

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...

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.

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...

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.

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. Gin...

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; perplexe...

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! ...

I know our Lord and Savior never leaves us or forsakes us. I've never felt abandoned by Him, never felt let down by Him...or as we say in Texas - He's never dropped me in the grease and He's not about to start... This week is the 1st time in over 2 years I feel like my "old" self. My energy level is almost what it used to be. I am really enjoying activities again...except exercise...I have knocked off weight and continue to do so. I am still not quite ready for attending parties...but I will be. I do not really care to use the word feel, but it works...I know there are more tears over dad to come, but I also know there is more life, joy, and love than there are sadness and tears. I feel good again. I am so thankful Jesus has been there for me every step of the way. We do walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we do experience heart ache and loss while on earth - our temporary home. Without trials, we would never grow as Christians. Our relationship ...

My brother in law Hal went to MD Anderson in Houston today for tests. He needs to have another surgery as part of continuing treatment for cancer. A blood clot was discovered and he is now in the MD Anderson ER. Please pray for him to be filled with peace and comfort. Pray for the dr's to have wisdom and discernment. And of course, pray for healing. Thank you, Annette

I've been outside working in the flower beds this morning. Thinning out summer flowers which are still blooming up a storm to make room for a few fall blooms. As I took a break, I watched butterflies and then noticed the sun streaming through sap hanging from a tree, the sunbeams shooting out of the sap were golden then turned a deep amber. It blows this finite mind that before the foundation of the world, our Heavenly Father knew I would enjoy the display at the very moment I noticed it. Take time to notice the beauty our Father has given us and take note the beauty of the following verses from Psalm 27: 3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. 4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. 5 Fo...

I love fall, some years we almost have fall in southeast Texas. Ang posted beautiful pictures on Facebook the other day. I cannot wait to wear a sweater, drink hot chololate (sugar free of course) and have a blazing fire in the fireplace. I am looking forward to planting pansies and snapdragons. I have planted a few petunias and lobelia. Last year we had a few snowflakes, I would love to see more of them this winter. I love spring too with all the new life and the migratory birds which pass through on their way up north. I like summer for a week or 2. I look over the seasons I have with the Lord, no matter the season, He is always there, never let's me go, though I may pull my hand out of His hand and run my own way for a while. I prayed silently over a lady last weekend, I prayed she would sit next to our Lord with her head on His breast just as John did. I did not mention the prayer to anyone. The next day my friend prayed the same thing over her and it turns out the wom...

Had a wonderful time meeting new brothers and sisters in Longview, TX over the weekend. The praise and worship was awesome. I prayed mostly with women, many were set free from lies they believed about themselves as well as fear, perfectionism and related physical disorders. A young man's leg grew 2 inches and he walks without pain now. Backs were healed. God still heals today. He wants us whole in body, spirit, and mind. Jesus never turned anyone away. Then there is Bob...he lives in a group home, I don't know how old he is, I believe he has Down's Syndrome. As we worshiped, he did too, he could not sing the songs, but he could say Praise the Lord and Alleluia...His worship was so pure and so filled with love. He attended the healing weekend with his sister and brother in law. Hopefully, I will see him later this year in Woodville, TX. Bob loves the Lord so much, he loves people so much, he stood in for prayer for 1 of his care takers. I tear up thinking about his love fo...

If I could think of something more original to say, I would...but can you believe it's Oct 15th!!! OK - or the Ides of October...is that original? I have chosen the following verse for my memory verse, Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. As we hurtle toward the bustling holiday season, I want to really ingrain in my spirit for many reasons to keep my focus on Him; not the things of the world. I finally decorated for fall and Thanksgiving. I thought about last Thanskgiving, so very thankful dad was at my house and enjoyed the day. It was the 1st time in a year he was well enough to make the 3 block trip to my house. I am filled with gratitude and joy by the memory. I want to remain in a place of thanksgiving and praise for the Lord...I don't want to lose sight of him as the holiday preparations begin. ...

I am listening to a gentle rain fall as I sip coffee and spend time in the Word. Days come and go, seasons change, but the God never changes. He is the constant in our lives. Hebrews 13:8 tells us: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. I cannot imagine life without God, I am so thankful for His unending mercy, His unfailing love, the endless supply of grace, His Word. I am so thankful for His Son, the Holy Spirit, Covenant Promises on which we stand. I am so thankful for the Authority of His Mighty Name when I pray. It's almost time for another Siesta Verse. I have no idea which verse He will show me. I am so thankful we live in a country in which we can buy Bibles almost any where, we can read them, we can freely worship... I am so thankful for my family, Siestas, and friends the Lord has chosen to cross my path in life. What are you thankful for? I have a few names of people who need Salvation up on the right side of my blog. If you feel so called, p...

I wanted to share a little info compiled by author Joel Rosenberg concerning a few chapters from the book of Ezekiel. This has caused me to wonder since Iraq is in such a mess; if that's why it is not listed as a country which attacks Israel. Revelation 18 goes on to say: 2With a mighty voice he shouted: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit,a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird. 3For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries." If Iraq becomes a land of such rich excesses, could it be 1 of the only major oil producers left? (This is food for thought on my part.) In a moment, I will walk you through the prophecies step-by-step. But first, let me note that the predictions found in Ezekiel chapters 36 & 37 have already come true. These are the famous ...

I was sitting at the drive through window last Friday at Chick Fil A, waiting for my chargrilled chicken garden salad. (I highly recommend them, 1 order easily makes 2 meals.) A young woman working at the window was talking when a male employee who was filling a cup with Diet Coke spun around and said, "Why would you sleep with him, he hates you?" The woman said, "Because I don't want to be alone." The man said, "But you are alone, he hates you and you are even more alone after you have sex." I almost started crying for 2 reasons, this young woman who appeared to be 18 or so was making foolish choices because she was so confused about love, she may not know the Lord, if she does know Him - she may not have a clue He has plans for her, plans to prosper her....the young man also appeared to be 18 or so - what wisdom for such a young person...he spoke to her in truth and love, no reproach, no self righteousness, no Pharisee... I sat there and prayed a...

Last night I saw a remark posted on Facebook which read: Jesus is coming, look busy... How many times have we as Christians women lived our lives as busyness is next to godliness? I am not suggesting we laze about on the couch eating bon bons all day, neglect our families, neglect time in the Word and prayer by any means. I am suggesting we may be packing our lives with godly activities and we may be very busy with Kingdom work but as a result we are missing the mark because we are so busy - back to the are we are Mary or a Martha thing...do we choose the finer thing? Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to convict us on what the Lord wants us doing in ministry and activities, the Lord may have a change of season for us...let us pray to be obedient to changes He may desire for us...and let us spend quality time in prayer, the Word and worshipping our Lord... Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they...

My Siesta Memory Verse is: I Cor 13:6-7 Love does not delight in evil bit rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. For some reason I never noticed the last word before - PERSEVERES (and to add emphasis - Love always persedangveres) Persevere means: To persist in or remain constant to a purpose, idea, or task in the face of obstacles or discouragement. It is easy not to delight in evil and rejoice with the truth. It is easy to protect those we love, sometimes it's hard to trust those we love due to hurts we have suffered, it can be hard to hope in the natural sense but easy to hope in the eternal sense, and it can be downright difficult to persevere...but obviously it's what the Lord wants us to do and He supplies us with the grace to do so. Verse 8-10 tells us: Love never fails . But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away....

Sunday was my parents' anniversary. Tuesday is my mother Barbara's birthday and Wednesday is my father Charles' birthday. When I was young I was so worried about getting the days mixed until I realized it was Anniversary, Barbara, Charles...ABC... Sunday was a bittersweet day for me. Joy mixed with grief, laughter and tears. I decided this week I was going to concentrate on the ABC's of Who God is... Just to name a few: A) Abba, Alpha, Anointed One B) Beautiful One, my Banner C) Christ, Creator D) Deliverer, Daystar E) Emmanuel, Eternal One F) Father, Faithful I am going to praise Him from A to Z...I will admit the only thing I have come up with for Z - is He is zealous for my soul...let me know if you have something for Z.

Last year on this day, my parents celebrated 50 years of marriage. Today is the 1st anniversary my mother will celebrate without dad. We are going to 1 of his favorite, local restaurants for dinner. The staff loved dad, so many prayed for him and with him. I am glad today is Sunday and we will be worshipping as well. While we kneel at the Lord's table to receive Communion...my dad is really dining with our King. I miss him, I grieve, but I am also filled with joy and thanksgiving...join me in praising the Lord, please click on the words Holy is the Lord God Almighty below. HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY

A few weeks ago, I blogged about my friend Carol...she had lung cancer which had spread to her brain. My last visiual of her will always be her smile, and the thought of her wearing PJ's, her coordinating costume jewelry and high heels as she sat in her wheelchair watching hummingbirds. Carol went home to the Lord last night. I pray He pours out His comfort on her grieving family. If there are shoes in heaven, I'm thinking she asked for heels...

Sunday is my parents' 51st wedding anniversary...last year 1 of my father's main goals was to celebrate 50 years with my mother and thank the Lord, dad was able to do so. My husband, mother, and I are going to eat dinner Sunday at a local restaurant. The staff loved dad, prayed with him and for him...always inquired about him on occasions I ate there without my parents. Tuesday is my mother's birthday - I bought a card the other day and did very well, averted my eyes from the anniversary cards, I could feel emotions trying to rise. Then I turned around to exit the aisle and there were the birthday cards for fathers and dads. My eyes welled up with tears and I thought you better exit quickly before you look like Tammy Faye Bakker! Wednesday is my father's birthday. As we progress through our 1st year without him, we experience the roller coaster of emotion. We have had much more joy than grief...many more laughs than tears... I am so thankful for our Lord and Savior carr...

I have neglected journaling much of this year. In May, I finally looked to see what I wrote the day dad died...I have not picked that journal up again. Last night I was at Target and bought 2 small spiral notebooks, I began pouring my heart out about love today...trying to write very neatly, as if someone might read it. (HA!) I poured out the type of love our Abba Father lavishes on us, the love Jesus has for us - as best as a finite mind can describe; the type of love my mom has for me, that dad had for me, how dad learned to love my husband and entrust me to him. I wrote about love I receive from other family members and friends. I wrote about my husband's love for me and my love for him - how much healthier it has become over the years. I wrote about the love I pour out and the times I betrayed people or was betrayed. I wrote about time I used to spend in unforgiveness and plotting revenge. It was fairly random in 1 sense and very purposeful writing in another sense. As I medita...

For some reason I cannot get a Youtube video to post in the traditional manner, so I am going to post the link - Annette G posted the same song this morning...Please click on He Loves US below.. It is vital we know this - He LOVES US !!!

Last night, I accompanied my husband to Bass Pro Shop. He needed to pick up a pistol he won in a charity raffle and wanted to buy a rifle...apparently we do not have enough rifles already. I wondered around the store and decided a pink T shirt was in order as well as a nice, Texas A&M fleece jacket. I looked at all the different types of camouflage outfits. Some were just the basic camouflage, some look like grass - I think they are called Gillie suits. One outfit looked like oak leaves were attached individually all over the jacket and pants- I think you wear it as you prowl around bow hunting. All this to say, we know how satan prowls around looking to devour people at every opportunity, sometimes he is right out in the open, other times he is camouflaged. Be careful. Remain alert. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Arm yourself with the armor the Lord provides us in Ephesians 6 and call for back up prayer when you need it. Be quick to forgive, fast to love...and stay in the Word! Finally,...

I am stunned it's time for another Siesta verse, I chose one Sunday, chose another 1 on Monday, and let God choose 1 for me today. The verse kept showing up on things I was reading; including a young Christian man posting it on Facebook. I got the point, so here it is: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. I frequently blog about love...I think God really wants me to meditate on this for a while...I could feel myself wanting to do the I can't believe so and so did not even say anything to me when dad died, did not attend the funeral because she does not like them and did not so much as bring an chicken leg at the time. It's September and suddenly I am angry over what she did not do in January...that is the evil one talking. It does not matter I prepared food when her in laws died, when her husband died, when her mother died. It does ...

Mark 8:27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" 28They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ.[b]" I so identify with Peter in many passages in the Bible mainly because of his big mouth. He tended to blurt things out, so do I though not as often as I did when I was younger. This time, Peter got it right, he knew Jesus is the Messiah, the Promised One, the One the Jews had been waiting for for thousands of years. Sadly many of them were looking for an earthly messiah and were not interested in eternal life. Who is Jesus to you? Is He you Saviour, Redeemer, your Lord, your King? Or is his name the name you utter when angry? It pains me to hear His name used as a curse word in real life as well as in movie...

I have a friend Carol who loves to dress up, wear high heels and always has beautiful costume jewelry to accessorize each outfit...I mean the woman wears hose for heaven's sake! She was diagnosed some time back with lung cancer which had spread to her brain. Her sister in law went to visit yesterday, Carol was sitting in her wheelchair on the back porch enjoying the hummingbirds...wearing you guessed it: PJ's Heels Earrings, Necklace, and Bracelet In the midst of the sadness, what a great spark of joy...a visual which will stay with me for years, because in this visual I can see Carol's smile as well. I pray for the peace of God to fill her and her family and friends. I pray for the Lord to pour out His comfort and mercy on us all. Most epecially, I pray for Him to touch her with His healing hand of grace on her and I pray for her spiritual, physical, and mental comfort. I hold dear His Covenant promises, I know where she will be, I know He has not dropped her in the grease...

This morning I woke up earlier than normal due to a scared dog, we were experiencing an intense thunder storm and Penny was a wreck. At 4:15am I realized it was time to give it up and get out of bed. Around 5:00am I decided to check the news, read blogs, etc….the Internet was out. I tried all the usual remedies, rebooting etc before calling Comcast. Instead of talking to a human being; I decided to try the Refresh Your Modem option from the menu. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could refresh our internal modems on demand...We can, we find refreshing in praise music and hymns, we find refreshing in verbally praising our God and King. We find refreshing in His Word. We find refreshment in Sabbath rest. So if your modem needs refreshing, seek Him…His Word tells us: Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw w...

Today is our 24th wedding anniversary. In some ways it seems more like 50, in other ways it seems like 3 or 4 years since we said I do. As any married person knows, it's not always easy no matter how much you love one another. There are seasons to marriage, sometimes it's spring and sometimes it seems like a rainy, cold winter. I know without grace from God, marriage is not possible. I remember how shocked I was with some very small things the 1st days of our marriage: my husband squeezed the toothpaste tube in the middle, everyone knows you begin at the end of the tube! he is cheerful in the morning...I mean - he is CHEERFUL and there are days I wanted to strangle the life out of him because he smiled at 5:00am...I mean how dare he! If we had curtains instead of blinds in our 1st house, I think he would have thrown them open at sunrise and said something really cheery. There are the not so little things, problems with relatives and children, illness, money issues, and pride! (...

How in the world is it already August 15th!!! I cannot believe it. Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here before you know it. I chose my Siesta verses on Thurs, it was between these and a few verses from Psalm 103; which Karen chose. My verses are: Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all. I ask you to join me in celebrating thanksgiving now and thank the Lord for Who He is... Stay in the Word which brings life, attitude adjustment when you need it, confirmation, clarity and wisdom...and so much more. Love, Annette

Though much of the country has suffered floods, my neck of the woods has been in drought. I was thrilled to receive a couple of rain showers yesterday. The grass has already grown. It is already greener. The flowers look brighter. When we do not spend time in the Word and with the Lord, we are in a spiritual drought. We all have days where we do not get prayer or Word time in, there are sick spouses, children, sick pets...etc, but when day after day and week after weeks passes we begin to look like grass in a drought...brown patches, thin blades and cracked ground. Just a few verses water deep, if you need prayer remember to ask people...it's the Body of Christ not the Lone Ranger of Christ. Spend some time with our Lord today. Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in h...

Nearly 2 weeks ago I decided to drastically cut my caffeine intake from 4-6 cups of coffee a day, 1 or 2 Diet Cokes a day, and the miscellaneous piece of chocolate during the week as well as the occasional glass of tea down to 2 cups of coffee a day. In case you are wondering...I have not cheated...been sorely tempted, am tempted right this minute because I woke up at 3:30am, gave up at 4:00am and got out of bed. I am considering a Red Bull...just kidding...I have noticed my patience is a little short this week. I have not said anything unkind, but I sure have thought it and I mostly repented of the vain thoughts and imaginations. Thankfully I know the Prince of Peace, He is my Lord and Savior! He can fill me with His Patience, He is there with me as I grow used to living on real energy derived from fruits, vegetables, few carbs, exercise and rest. His Word says: (I can't talk about bread right now since I am not eating it, but He is the Bread of Life.) A man's wisdom gives him...

It's the 1st Monday in August, hard to believe 2009 is almost over. 2009 has not been the best year for me; but it has been filled with numerous blessings and much joy mixed in with the grief of losing my earthly father. So many of my friends have faced extreme trials from the death of their marriages to the death of their children, spouses, or jobs. Please know, your Savior really does know how you feel. He experienced every trial and disappointment while here on earth. Let us be like Jesus and abide and remain in our Father. The One Who loves us perfectly and wholly. As hard as it may be for you, ask trusted friends to pray with you and for you. Stay in the Word and get a little praise on. Let God know you are angry, hurt, confused....it's no surprise to Him, confessing it will bring healing to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. As the Father has loved...

If you are of a certain age, you most likely remember the Beetles song all you need is love, but earthly love does not quite cut it. So much of the love depicted in literature, books, on movies and in TV is A) not real and B) very unhealthy. God loves us with a pure and healthy love. I think through His love, our love for our spouses, children and people in general becomes more healthy. Perfect - no, healthy - yes. The Word tells us this: And I (Paul) pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. We are to be rooted in love...grounded in love, love is to be a part of our everyday life. We are also to love ourself, Jesus said so: A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that y...

Do any of you ever wake up and feel an impending bad mood? And then...your husband is happy, smiling, and talkative on top of the impending mood... I felt that way this morning and still feel in a small way the desire to fall into the bad mood. I decided I would skip Wally World and shop at Target before work, Wally World might give me the excuse to jump into the mood with both feet. A couple of things can change my mood in an instant: Praise Music - How Great is Our God, Shout to the Lord, Majesty, Amazing Love to name a few. A few of my favorite Scriptures: Ps 19: 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Psalm 150 1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the soundin...

I don't know who this post is for, but you feel weary beyond words and wonder if God has abandoned you. He has not abandoned you. He knows you are weary and feel as if you are being crushed. His word tell us: We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. You think I never hear the Lord anymore, when will He show up? He is there. He will never leave you or forsake you. Sit quietly, tell Him what is bothering you. Pour it all out. Ask Him to ...

My Siesta Memory verse is: Ps 16:2 - I said to the Lord,"You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." As I was searching verses on Monday, this one really spoke to me in conjunction with something I posted about a month ago - Call Me Marty..."Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Am I choosing what is better and will not be taken away from me? What do I consider above God? Is He 1st place or 2nd or 3rd place? Most likely on many days He is number 1, then maybe 3 at some point, up to 2 later on and back to number 1 before bed time. I want Him to always be Number One because I know that I know that I know apart from Him, I have no good thing.

Is anyone a little weary? Maybe because it's 103 outside, maybe because work is not going well, maybe you have a wedding to plan, maybe you are job hunting, maybe your husband left, maybe you just had major surgery, and we won't think about what teens may or may not be doing right!!! There is 1 answer for us, no matter why we are weary...the solution is the same, His name is Jesus Christ, the Risen Son of God the Father. He came to save sinners, to redeem us, to reconcile us to God. He came to heal our minds, bodies, and spirits. Soak up these precious words, they are fresh and alive, spoken for everyone who has ever lived and who will ever live: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf at...

Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori says it's "heresy" to believe that an individual can be saved through a sinner's prayer of repentance. In her opening address to the church's General Conference in California, Jefferts Schori called that "the great Western heresy: that we can be saved as individuals, that any of us alone can be in right relationship with God." The presiding bishop said that view is "caricatured in some quarters by insisting that salvation depends on reciting a specific verbal formula about Jesus." According to Schori, it is heresy to believe that an individual's prayer can achieve a saving relationship with God. "That individualist focus is a form of idolatry, for it puts me and my words in the place that only God can occupy."

This is not a commentary on Michael Jackson, his talent, music, or life. This is a comment on how the media has over reported the story since the man died. Serious riots in China were not reported in the US for a couple of days nor was the coup in Honduras. Michael Jackson was an extraordinary talent, but he was a person - a human being like you and me. I have avoided TV since he died as much as possible, but have seen enough to know many people emptied their bank accounts to stand in front of the Staples Center today during the service. It is very easy to cross over the line from being a fan to setting someone up as an idol. Please keep his children in your prayers, I fear the vultures are circling to grab what they can from his estate. Keep these words close to your heart: We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Dear c...

Celebrate America's Freedom...it came with a price...

We are so much in Christ and have so much in Him. I want to touch on the freedom we have in Christ. When we are transformed by the power of Christ we are free to love, to forgive, do the things that were not possible before, do the things we never wanted to do before. We are also set free from the law, sin, and the sting of death. Sure, we still die, but we go on to our real home, our eternal destiny - heaven. The Bible tells us: The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, Jesus sets us free from sin...through Him we are reconciled to our Father and our sins are forgiven. Through Jesus we find healing of our bodies, minds, and spirits. Psalm 119:45 I will walk about in freedom, for I have so...

Peace is mentioned often in the Bible, I learned years ago, if God thought it was important enough to repeat, I better act on it. One of my favorite verses mentioning peace is the greatest birth announcement ever: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace, He wants to give us peace in the midst of all the situations we endure. As tired as I was when dad was ill, I had peace. My dad had peace. My mother had peace. Even when I drove away from the hospital the night he died, I had peace. I was sad, I still tear up, I still want to call him and say turn the tv to channel so and so, I miss sharing meals and time with him, but I have peace. Though we suffer - we have peace: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by fai...

We have so much in Christ, I have briefly touched a few things we have in Him. I Peter 2:9 (my Siesta verse) tells us who we are in Him: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. When I taught the 11-13 yr old Sunday school class at my church years ago (boy when that season was over, WAS it ever OVER!) many of the youth had trouble comprehending grace and why not, it's hard for our finite minds to grasp. I told them to remember this, GRACE - God's Riches At Christ's Expense. Grace is God's unmerited favor poured out on us. We cannot earn it, we do not deserve it. His grace never ends...He freely gives it to us daily...and sometimes by the minute... The Bible tells us this about grace: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of g...

Please pray for a FB friend's 2 1/2 yr old nephew Patrick. He became ill in church, starting trembling, then become unresponsive, now just stares. He's in the hospital. Seizures were ruled out, little guy is about to have a nasty test to check out his spinal fluid.