Concerning Gossip

If I Were a Preacher...I Would Have a Sermon!

Today's chore brought a lot to mind.  Having been a prolific crocheter since I was in Jr. High I have collected a lot of yarn.   Though a lot of my yarn is organized by color and all packed in the same container, a lot of it was tangled up horribly!   I decided that today was the day to untangle my yarn.

As I was working on the yarn I started to relate it to "yarns" we tell.  I was thinking about all the tangles we can cause when we tell our "yarns"  (gossip)  

The first thing I worked on were the easy ones.  The skeins were still pretty much intact and had some tails caught in the mess of the tangled yarn.  This would represent when I might have dabbled a little bit in "yarns" (gossip)  but listened to the Holy Spirit and pulled out of the conversation.  It is easy to salvage any damage done.

This has nothing to do with the "sermon" but I think there

is a problem when in 2012 I still have yarn bought at TG&Y!  :-)

Now for the hard work of de-tangling the big mess!   The first thing I had to do now is look for the beginning   piece of  a particular color of the smaller amounts of yarn.  This made me think about what I would need to do if I want to take care of the damage done by telling "yarns" (gossip).  I must go back to where I started it and do my best to correct it. 

Unfortunately, for some of those yarns I would pull on it until I saw it was pretty much hopeless!  I had to get the scissors and just cut pieces. This left me with a pile of basically useless yarn.If I don't continue to pursue to undo my "yarns" (gossip) I leave the situation unhealed and most likely will not be able to accomplish much with the relationship with the individual who has been hurt.

If I pursue the yarn that is so tangled up and follow through to the end of each color, I end up with yarn that is useful. If I pursue to correct the "yarns" (gossip)  until I know healing has occurred, the relationship  is salvaged and becomes useful...not a wasted relationship.

The interesting thing I observed is that the more fancy the yarn, the harder it is to get it untangled.  This is still looming over me.  I have not salvaged the eyelash yarns yet!  I can't help but think about the more elaborate the "yarns" (gossip) the harder , if not impossible, it is to heal the pains caused.

It was sad to discover how much of my Christmas yarn was left.  Some seasons I bought these with good intentions to make things for my friends....but not getting to it.  This yarn represents sparkly angels that never made it to my friend's Christmas trees.  Or holiday cup cozies.  Some of the yarn was meant to become a festive hot pad to be used on the tables of my friends.  It makes me think of  good "yarns" that don't get said.  Ephesians 4:29 says, "When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need- words that will help others become stronger.  Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you."  

There are words that go unsaid that should be said that truly benefits the listener.

Then there are the unfinished projects!   I have started several projects and not finished them.  Usually because they are not turning out the way I anticipated, or the yarn is hard to deal with, or the color varigation does not do what I had hoped.  Hmmm...makes me wonder how many friendships I could have done better with had I not given up....had I let God use me before giving up.

My prayer is that God would help me remember the hours it took me to untangle my yarn today.  That was certainly much easier than the untangling that I would have to do if I let myself get caught up in a life of telling "yarns" (gossip).

Exodus 20:16
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

Leviticus 19:16
'Do not go about spreading slander among your people.

Proverbs 11: 9;13
With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape... A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

Proverbs 17:9
He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends

Proverbs 20:19
A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.

Acts 13:15
Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.

Psalm 19:14 
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Rebounding

A few weeks ago my doctor found issues going on in my body. After following his instructions several of those issues have greatly improved. However, my lymphatic system had not changed. My brother Mark reminded me that rebounding is one of the best ways to flush out the lymphatic system. My doctor recommended I get a lymphatic massage. I went on line to read up on the lymphatic massage. Among those listed as vitally needing that particular massage were those who are sedentary. That lit my light bulb! I KNOW that exercising is important but for some time have not been motivated to move! Moving would make the lymphatic system do what it is supposed to do.

I have started using the rebounder that sits in my basement. To keep myself motivated I have to read more about it. Unfortunately I gave my book away, but thank goodness for search engines on the computer!

Here are just a few bits of information I find interesting.

• Gently bouncing on a rebounder for two minutes every hour is an ideal protocol for defence against cancer. Within just two minutes the entire lymphatic system is flushed, creating a demand for more lymphocytes, including killer T-cells. The white blood-cell count is approximately tripled during this two-minute rebounding session. Many cancer-killing potions (such as hydrogen peroxide) are produced more efficiently while a patient is rebounding.



• Rebounding exercise also strengthens each cell of the body so that healing can occur. Every process of every cell is enhanced allowing each organ to do its job more efficiently: digestion and absorption are enhanced; elimination is improved, thus removing more toxins from the body; and the body is relaxed and de-stressed and healing chemicals are produced.



• It increases the capacity for breathing. It circulates more oxygen to the tissues.It helps combat depression. It helps normalize your blood pressure. It helps prevent cardiovascular disease. It increases the activity of the red bone marrow in the production of red blood cells. It aids lymphatic circulation, as well as blood flow in the veins of the circulatory system. It lowers elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It stimulates the metabolism, thereby reducing the likelihood of obesity.It tones up the glandular system, especially the thyroid to increase its output. It improves coordination throughout the body.It promotes increased muscle fiber tone. It offers relief from neck and back pains, headaches, and other pain caused by lack of exercise. It enhances digestion and elimination processes. It allows for easier relaxation and sleep. It results in a better mental performance, with sharper learning processes. It relieves fatigue and menstrual discomfort for women. It minimizes the number of colds, allergies, digestive disturbances, and abdominal problems. It tends to slow down aging.



• Children instinctively enjoy jumping around. They take to mini-trampolines like fish to water. One of the best things you can do to help instill the love of exercise in your child is buying a mini-trampoline, which sits around in the house and is always available for family members to use. Jumping on a mini-trampoline is one small step we can take toward solving our national epidemic of diabetes and obesity among children.

Those are all copy and pasted from several sources. Look up rebounding and get moving....and

Please help keep me motivated! :?)

Part of what makes it enjoyable for me is that I am using Vanessa-Mae's album Storm to workout with! It is great!

So Little Time and So Much to Do

A few days ago a friend of mine posted these words as her status on Facebook. Immediately upon reading those words my mind started singing the song! Since then it is either going through my mind or I am literally singing it over and over!

It is a song I chose to sing almost every time I was asked to sing a solo at a missionary service! You see, it is a very, very, very old song and I am afraid it will be a lost song. My mom sang this song at General Assembly in 1960. She is the only person I have ever heard sing the song besides me. The words of the song are laying heavy on my heart this week. They are so very true!

Souls all around us are dying, traveling the road down to hell;

Oh! how our hearts should be crying, Salvation's story to tell. Someone is dying each moment, What if we've failed to be true To tell them about Christ's atonement? There's so little time and so much to do.

Chorus:

So little time and so much to do! God help us all at our posts to be true. Tell them this story:"Christ died for you!" There's so little time and so much to do.

On every hand you are seeing The devil at work night and day; Trying to wreck ev'ry being Who would follow the Calvary way, Trading his home in the glory For a pleasure in sin to pursue, We must proclaim Calv'ry's story, There's so little time and so much to do.

Come unto Me, all ye weary Who labor, and I'll give you rest; Beneath the lights sin is drearey; Come unto Me and be blest. The time for Christ's coming is nearing; The signs of the time say He's due; So let's preach the Word without fearing, There's so little time and so much to do.

Chelsea Stockwell 1936

Prayer Shawl

A few weeks ago my friend, Mabeth, mentioned a prayer shawl for the second time. I had not heard of a prayer shawl and asked her about it. Being an avid crocheter and a woman of prayer it just sounded like something I should know about. Mabeth was faithful to answer back with a good description about the ministry. The comment she made that appealed to me the most was, " It speaks of God's covering of His Bride, and it really creates a little "closet" for intimacy with Him. Jesus used one . . . "

I got on line and found patterns and all sorts of stories about what is happening with all the prayer shawls women(for the most part) are crocheting and knitting.

I would say that my favorite explanation was on this site ~ http://www.hopeofisrael.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=63&Itemid=30

I will have to tell you I got a little excited at the idea of making a prayer shawl for myself or for someone else! I started praying that God would lead me as to who to make one for and to designate the color for me to use. One of the sites I had read about it talked about the meaning of the colors(though I am not really sure how Biblical that is!)

I had some promised articles to finish up before getting started. One was actually something for myself. Gary bought an outdoor chair to put in our bedroom in the apartment in California. It works great for him to sit in and put his shoes and socks on in the morning. However, there was just something about that "outdoor" chair in my bedroom that was not sitting right with me! I determined I would make an afghan to match the bedspread to cover that chair and make it look a little more "homey". My plan was to only work on it while in Missouri and surprise Gary with it. I started it in January and was not able to finish it up with the hospital visits, the nursing home visits and the eventual passing of my dad. I finally finished it right before coming out to California a few days ago. As I was seeing that I was going to get it done I was getting very excited about who and what I was going to do about the prayer shawl!

Two things had happened that had made me even more excited about it. One is that I went shopping for yarn at WalMart and lo and behold~they have a whole pattern book dedicated to prayer shawls! I was shocked! Added to that, my friend, Margaret, had received a prayer shawl as a gift. A few days after receiving it her mother passed away. She found she was cuddling with that prayer shawl and sensed God's comfort through it. You see, the lady who had made it for her had felt led by our Father to make it for a very special purpose for Margaret and prayed over it while she made it.

As I was finishing up my little surprise afghan to bring to California it dawned on me~"Wait a minute, I don't have to follow some specific prayer shawl instruction! I have been making prayer "shawls" for years!" You see, I have made literally hundreds of afghans for others...I have prayed over the people to whom those afghans, or baby blankets were going to. I have told people that they were to use those as reminders God's love wrapped around them as they wrapped up in those afghans! I looked at the afghan I was making for myself. I had never prayed over one I made for me! This afghan was going to be on a chair I often use for my personal encounter times in the Word and with my loving Father! This afghan was going to be on the chair that my husband sits on daily before leaving for work!

When I finished the afghan I laid it across my bed and knelt beside it and prayed that God would bless it as it will be my prayer shawl in Rancho Cucamonga. I prayed that my husband would feel God's love as he sits on it in the morning.

Yes, I am out here in California now...and I have started a new project. I am making a white baby blanket. We just found out that our youngest son and wife are expecting a baby in October. Though I have prayed over all the other baby blankets I have made I have never been as specific in those prayers. In choosing white I am praying that righteosness and purity are a part of this childs identity. I am praying that innocence, peace, virtue, gentleness, perfection(holiness), reverence and humility define the kind of life this child will live.

Larry Bryant

Dear Friends,For some of you this is news, for others it is information you have been waiting for. Friday night at 8:10 my father, Larry Bryant, crossed over to rejoice with his Redeemer! We feel the agony of his absence even now, but are rejoicing knowing he is no longer suffering with pain nor is his mind playing tricks on him to cause confusion.

As Mom, Marilyn and I caressed him in his last breaths we envisioned him crossing over and beginning to dance with joy!

Visitation for my Dad will be on Tuesday evening March 3

Langsford Funeral Home

115 SW 3rd St.

Lee's Summit, Mo 64063

6:30 - 8:30 PM

The funeral will be held on Wednesday afternoon March 4

New Beginnings Church of the Nazarene

601 NW Libby Lee's Summit, Mo

1:00 PM

In liu of flowers memorials could be sent to

Nazarene World Missions

Global Ministry Center

17001 Prairie Star Parkway

Lenexa, KS 66220

Getting Christmas

After hearing yesterday's sermon I got in the mood to re-visit a book I have read through a few times, Reflecting God. I ran across something I wish I would have blogged in December!

In these days of confused and frantic longing for God, gods, some god, any god, despair rises like a dark tide. The efforts of the human race to exist in autonomy have failed.

How do we pack the frantic search for spiritual truth into the New York Times time capsule? Whatever we choose to represent these times of empty hearts and failed gods, we must include something that represents another group of people: those who have anchored their hopes in the God of the Bible. Those who have turned to Jesus Christ for new life, hope, and salvation.

There are those among us who do not dwell in the land C. S Lewis described as "always December but never Christmas." They have found the deeper spiritual life "in Christ."

Not enticed by get-rich gimmicks, these souls are content with bread and bed and roof and family circle.

Not tempted by impromptu messiahs, they walk with the confident pace of those who know a wise and gentle Shepherd who leads them to still waters and green pastures.

Not tortured by fears of tomorrow, they face the future like the sea at rest.

Not despairing because of past shame, they rejoice in the grace of sins freely forgiven.

Not devoured by lust, they keep the sensual subordinate to sanctity.

Not disillusioned by pain they embrace the assurance that God will surely use their suffering redemptively.

Not devastated by rootlessness, they build on a sure foundation.

Not destroyed by selfishness, they pour out their lives for Christ and others.

These optimistic pilgrims have discovered that holiness and happiness are twins. With Thomas Kelly they have found the joys of the holy life ravishing and its peace profound. Their secret is described in the Bible. They are the ones who, "with unveiled faces, see...the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, (and) are being transformed into the same image form one degree of glory to another"(2 Cor. 3:18)

Dad

Yesterday was an extremely rough day for my dad. We were not sure what was going on! What a delight to come in at breakfast time and find Dad feeding himself and actually able to talk. Things he was not able to do yesterday!

Thank you for your prayers!

After breakfast I read some Psalms to him. Then I took an old Hymnal and he and I sang one hymn after another. I looked....he did not have to!!!!!

My sister Marilyn came in later and did some more singing with him. This afternoon my mom did even more singing! Interestingly enough all three of us chose a family favorite, "Estoy Alegre"~"I Am Happy", a chorus we all like to sing in Spanish.

Another favorite all three of us ended out picking was "Heavenly Sunlight" These times of singing seem to delight my dad. Though we could not hear him singing all the words, we could see that he was singing them!

We have been so grateful for all the visits Dad has gotten from Debbie.

She has been faithful to go to my parent's home to bathe my dad for several months. What a blessing she has been.

Thank God for people like Marcia who is always ever so ready to help in our times of need!

We serve an awesome God!

...where we can serve You best

What a day yesterday!

I got over to Mom and Dad's house around 11:30 in the morning. I brought them breakfast from IHOP. We were to have our last breakfast at the house before taking Dad to the hospital.

Dad prayed over the meal.

I had a hard time holding back the tears as he prayed,

"Help us to know what place to go today where we can serve You the best."

He will be such a blessing!

It was a sad day as we spent hours in the hospital getting Dad admitted. So much of his mind is gone. So many statements he made were so confusing to us. He was so confused.

Yet, I cannot EVER forget his wise prayer. I must remember to pray that on a daily basis.!

New Year Goals

2008 was a year I made a goal and accomplished it! Well, actually, I made several goals but accomplished some. One of my goals was to learn how to knit. I have been an avid crocheter since Jr. High lessons in home economic classes. I have crocheted hundreds of projects in the last 40 some years.

So, though I knew I would be slow at it, I taught myself how to knit. I have only made scarves.

My son Jeremy, with his great artistic mind, found a store in Kansas City called The Peruvian Connection. For Christmas he got me a beautiful box with three sets of wooden knitting needles. Along with that he got me some hand painted alpaca yarn! I am not sure what I am going to make with that beautiful yarn but I have started practicing using the wooden needles and I am having fun!

I guess I would say for 2009 I will venture away from knitting scarves to trying hats and new stitches.

However, my biggest goal for 2009 will be to become very familiar with the book of Revelation. Though I have read it many times I have not really invested time in getting to know it. I was recently inspired by a sermon by Mike Bickle. If you want to hear that same sermon you can go to it by clicking on his name.

I am anticipating a great year as I pursue this study!

Wishing all of you an amazing year of 2009 where you encounter God in a mighty way!

In Lieu of a Christmas Card

2008 Has been a very different year for our family!

We attended art events to celebrate Jeremy as his art work has really picked up this year.

Trips we took during the early part of the year were to track meets to cheer for our Jonathan.

We delighted watching both Tricia and Sandy as the strongest supporters for their husbands.

We enjoyed times with Zion when he came to spend time with Pop-Pop and Grammy. We have delighted in watching him grow into a very fun toddler!

We enjoyed having most of the Bryant family with us in April to help celebrate milestone birthdays and years of ministry for Mom and Dad Bryant.

After two years of Gary’s weekly travels to California, we have made the transition of moving to Rancho Cucamonga, California!

However, Joyce will reside in Missouri for half of each month and join Gary for the other half of each month to enjoy the golf course and mountain out our back door!

Though there are some complications with this lifestyle,
we feel blessed by our God with this new adventure.

We wish our friends a Very Merry Christmas and leave you with this blessing for the year 2009…

Be joyful! Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of Love and Peace will be with you.
II Corinthians 13:11

Joy

I got this as an e-mail devotion from Aletha Hinthorn and really like the simple message of obedience and how it affects our life!

Finding Real Joy
"You will rejoice and no one will rob you of that joy" (John 16:22).

Scripture"I seek not to please myself but him who sent me" (John 5:30).

Thoughts"For years, my husband's parents have had a big dinner at one o'clock each Sunday afternoon, and Jon wants to go," Joanne shared over the phone. "He doesn't ask me; he just says, 'Let's go.' I think he should want to spend the time building our relationship. It's not that we go every week, but it's always looming up. I don't know what to do about it. It's really a bone of contention in our marriage." Then she laughed, "Sundays come up so often."

"Is pleasing God your deepest desire in this situation?" I asked her. "If you can focus on whether or not God is pleased with your attitude, then you are making a clear channel through which God can work."

"God can give you so much grace for those Sunday dinners that you'll begin to look forward to them because the joy of the Lord will accompany your obedience."

Several weeks later Joanne said, "I'm really trying to submit about those Sunday dinners and to tell the Lord, 'It doesn't matter if we go or not. I only care that You approve of my attitude.' It's working out much better, but what's really great is that I'm able to say, 'My concern is God be pleased. That's all I care about.'"

"By finding your joy in pleasing Him by offering up this thing that is difficult you are telling God you love Him with all your heart," I told her.

When we offer up our desires simply out of a desire to please Him, He accepts our offerings as gifts of love and gives us His joy.

Happy Jesusmas

After receiving several e-mails recommending I boycott certain stores who refuse to say "Merry Christmas", I have decided to use my blog to get on my soap box for a moment.

I am having a hard time understanding why we are so upset by that!

Happy Holidays include many more days than Christmas~an all inclusive statement!

Why would I not want to celebrate with the Jewish people who celebrate Hanukkah?!?

Though not a Biblical story, it is a celebration of a historical moment for the Israelites.

Our God came through for them in a mighty way! Celebrating that historical moment is celebrating our awesome God!

Happy Holidays! That includes Hanukkah.

Why would I not want to celebrate with our fellow African Americans as they celebrate Kwanzaa at this time of the year. What a great celebration embracing the culture they brought with them to us. The emphasis of community and unity certainly is not something I would be against.

Happy Holidays! That includes Kwanzaa.

Right around the corner we are getting ready to enter a New Year. What a joyful time for all of us! The New Year is always a time to look back on the old year and reflect on all that our Awesome God has done for us this past year. It is a time to commit to Him what we want to do for Him in the new year. How we want to grow more in love with Him and understand more about His deep Love for us.

Happy Holidays! That includes New Years

That some really do want to leave out "Merry Christmas" in the spirit of persecution, I have no doubt. But, I look at it this way~it opens the door for me to say something about my Jesus! When greeted with "Happy Holidays" I sometimes answer, "Thank-you, you too. I am celebrating Christmas during the holidays because Jesus is my best friend!"

Happy Holidays! That includes CHRISTmas.

So~Happy JESUSmas! :?)

I Will Not Let Myself Rest

I heard a sermon on Psalm 132:3-5

"I will not go home; I will not let myself rest. I will not let my eyes sleep nor close my eyelids in slumber until I find a place to build a house for the Lord, a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel."

Being one who cannot resist sleep when overtaken by sleepiness I asked Father how this scripture would apply to me. What is He asking of me through these words?

Several years ago my son Jonathan turned a small storage room into a prayer room as a Christmas gift to me. I have spent time praying over many issues in that prayer room. However, in the empty nesting of my home I have found that any place in the home is a sanctuary of quietness, so the prayer room has become a place where I would go when I needed to pray about things that really bothered me.

Otherwise, my prayer time has been where I am very comfortable.

I believe God is calling me to my prayer cave...to be on my knees... crying out to Him...talking to Him...Listening to Him!

I am going to go back to making the prayer room a daily place to meet my Father! I am going to make sure I seek Him in deep earnestness until I am sure my heart is a true sanctuary for Him.

The pictures in the slide show below are of the prayer room. I added music to the slide show and decided NOT to cut the music at the end of the slide show. I hope you can enjoy the song as I do!

Good Reading

I have been reading a book. A few days ago I read a couple of things that have stayed on my mind. I want to post those two things thinking they might have meaning for anyone reading my blog! The book I am reading is The Grand Weaver by Ravi Zacharias.

****************************

One day John Wesley asked his mother to define sin.

"I doubt any theologian could have done better than she did. "Son, whatever weakens your reasoning, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes away your relish for spiritual things; in short, if anything increases the authority and power of the flesh over the Spirit, then that to you becomes sin, however good it is in itself."

**************************************

"As a young man, David Livingstone prayed, "Lord, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever any ties but the tie that binds me to your service and to your heart." That prayer became his watchword when God laid Africa on his heart. I think of that remarkable line:"Sever any ties but the tie that binds me to your service and to your heart." What a mission statement for life! To be bound to God's service and to his heart! Set the purpose clearly before you."

********************************

My comments on these:

• 
  
  When you look at sin the way Susanna Wesley did you don't compare yourself to anyone else....you just KNOW when you have let something/someone else become more important than God! Easy! That is a pretty good way to keep track of where you are spiritually. A daily question, "Did anything in my day today take away my relish for spiritual things?" would be a good habit to get into!


• 
  
  The prayer, "Sever any ties but the tie that binds me to your service and to your heart" seems to be an outstanding prayer! I am asking Father if there are ties that He needs to sever!!!!! I don't want any but His!

Silver Boxes

When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need-words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you.

Ephesians 4:29(NCV)

...Say only what helps, each word a gift. (The Message)

Today we heard an excellent sermon on this scripture! I was reminded of a speaker I heard years ago, Florence Littauer. She wrote the book Silver Boxes that is based off of this scripture. She teaches that giving words of encouragement to someone is like giving them a gift wrapped in beautiful silver paper and a pretty bow on top.

As I was listening to the sermon I was also remembering the eight weeks I had my Sunday School class practice Ephesians 4:29. Each Sunday we had to show up to class sharing what specific thing we did that week where we applied Ephesians 4:29. I found that I could hardly wait to hear the stories my class would be sharing. That was 12 years ago and I still look back to that as a very special time.

I was thinking about families doing that very same thing! Just imagine if you specify one day a week when you gather to share your Ephesians 4:29 story...and then thank God for that wonderful opportunity!

That would be a glorious time!!!!

When I came home from the retreat where I heard Florence Littauer, I brought back a "silver box". It was on my dresser, or my mantle. People would ask about that silver box that never got opened. I used it to remind me to practice Ephesians 4:29.

After several years, it finally looked bad enough I threw it out!

But...

I think I need to go out and buy some beautiful silver paper....and a beautiful bow....

and wrap up a box and put it somewhere to remind me of the importance of

Ephesians 4:29

Psalm 23 ~ Elaborated

The Lord is my Shepherd~That's relationship!
I shall not be in want~That's supply!
He makes me lie down in green pastures~That's rest!
He leads me beside quiet waters~That's refreshment!
He restores my soul~That's healing!
He guides me in the paths of righteousness~That's guidance!
For His name's sake~That's purpose!
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death~

That's testing!

I will fear no evil~That's protection!

For You are with me~ That's faithfulness!

Your rod and the staff, they comfort me~That's discipline!

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies~

That's hope!

You anoint my head with oil~That's consecration!

My cup overflows~That's abundance!

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life~

That's blessing!

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord~That's security!

Forever~That's eternity!

Author unknown

Found the Culprit

Now we know how our neighbor's partially eaten apples are getting over into our yard! The flash scared him
But he is still keeping an eye on me!
My tulip and daffodil bulbs are being dug up along with a new little tree I planted down by the creek. I didn't get a picture of them, but discovered the culprits. There were three little chipmunks running around in my yard this week! I have not seen them the past couple of days, so maybe someone else in the neighborhood is enjoying those cute, but destructive, little critters!

Isn't the raccoon cute?!?!?! I wanted to hold him...but I know better. :?)

Do Birds Suffer From Empty Nest Syndrome?

In the last few days I have been enjoying watching parent robins feeding their babies. Yesterday morning as I watched them I literally prayed this prayer, "Father, I would love to experience one of their first flights?"

This morning as I was out watering the plants(yes, I brought the rain on!) I looked up to see that the biggest of the babies had walked up to the top of the rain spout. Just minutes before I had watched it being fed. I talked to the little guy, "Hey, what is your mom going to do when she finds you clear up there?" Shortly after that it flew over to the rail on my kitchen deck! It went back and forth from the rail to the top of the chair. It let me come up the steps, go inside for the camera, come out and take pictures! I wondered if it would be able to fly back up to the nest. Instead, it flew all the way to the tree on the west side of my back yard!
I sure did enjoy that answer to prayer! Thank-you Father.
As the day has progressed it has been on my mind that God does listen to our simplest prayers! I was thinking about things I need to take more seriously and take more time and take them to God in prayer.
Prayer does make a difference! Time spent in prayer can change things!

Tamales, Pupusas & Platanos

A couple of weeks ago we were in Dallas to cheer our Jonathan at a decathlon, and to be with our wonderful daughter-in-law, Sandy.Before leaving Dallas I asked Gary to stop at a nearby grocery where I had seen the biggest artichokes ever!
And the most beautiful display of vegetables I had ever seen!
I just had to get a picture!



On the way home Gary asked if I wanted to stop at my favorite restaurant in Oklahoma City.
I told him no in that I did not remember the name of the place nor did I know where it was located. Gary said, "Let's see if we can find it with our GPS!" I said, "Are you kidding me!? Do you have any idea how many Mexican Restaurants are in Oklahoma City?" We tried that neat little gadget that came with our new car! The list was huge! We came to a name that sort of sounded familiar...I made note of that and kept looking. I came to another name~Mi Familia~
I told Gary that "might" be it. It was located on Rockwell. Gary said, "That must be it, I remember it being on Rockwell!" We followed the voice of Gabby(that is what I call my GPS) not knowing if it was the right place or not.

We came up to it~and lo and behold~ it was the right place!
It was WAY out of the way...but worth it!

What makes it my favorite? They serve Guatemalan tamales and they serve pupusas with curtido!
The wife is from Mexico and the husband is from Guatemala. He comes from the city of Quetzaltenango, where I went to boarding school. My parents lived in a village that took two days to travel to from my school.(Senahu)

Yes, I had tamales, pupusas with curtido, and platanos!

I should get paid for this advertisement! :?)

Calling All Pray Warriors

It is coming down to the wire! Jonathan will be competing again to qualify for the trials for the Olympics.This Umbrella is a very important part of the day... if it is hot!

(Jeremy calls him, "Johnny Poppins")
Ten events in two days!
Watching the Javlin after he threw it.

We are so proud of you, Jonathan!

May He give you what you want and make all your plans succeed, and we will shout for joy when you succeed and we will raise a flag in the name of our God. May the Lord give you all that you ask for. Psalm 20:4-5
With Love, Mom :?)