01/31/11

This icicle looks like fingers coming down to grab you. OK.... maybe I shouldn't have pointed that out!
I had the privilege of photographing a fellow teacher (she teaches third grade) this past weekend - her engagement pictures. :) I also get to photograph the wedding.

There is a story here like no other.

It is a story I don't have the right to tell in full. Partly because I do not know it all, and partly because it is their story.

However, I can give you a brief history of what I know.

She taught her fiance's child two years ago. His first wife passed away very unexpectedly during that year. She was close to her.

The Lord brought her to the mind of his first wife's mother. She began to pray that they would find each other since she was single. There were others who prayed for the same thing... not realizing others were doing the same!

He and his son began to come to our church.

He and she began to talk more.

He and she began to go out with his son to "get together."

He and she began to go out without the son.

He and she fell in love.

Head over heels.

He asked her to marry him in early December.

He and she will be getting married in June.

All because people prayed for it to happen.

Talk about a love story straight from Heaven.....

You are seein' one.

01/30/11

Ephesians 4:31, 32
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

01/29/11

Black and white icicles. :)
My devotions this morning were about what I had written about on Thursday. I felt it fitting to remind us of where those sweet babies/children are when something tragic happens to them:

Children in Heaven

"And [David] said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."
2 Samuel 12:22-23

The death of a loved one is always a time of great sorrow, but the death of a beloved child is perhaps the keenest sorrow of all. nevertheless, for the Christian believer, we "sorrow not even as others which have no hope" (I Thess. 4:13).

Ouer text verse makes it clear that, when a child dies, that child goes to be with the Lord in heaven. Jesus said: "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 19:14).

Heaven is thus a place where there are many "little children." Their inherited sin-nature never yet had generated acts of willful sin, and their Maker is Himself "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), so they are safe in Him. Although there are few specific Scriptures on this subject, what we do know, both from the love of God and the Word of God, suggests that the souls of all deceased little children are with the Lord in heaven, but also those who died in early childhood (and even before birth) from every time and place since the world began. There they, along with all those who were saved by personal faith in Christ and are now awaiting the resurrection, will receive new bodies when Christ returns to earth. The old and lame will be young and strong again, and the children will grow to perfect maturity, for all will become "like him" (I John 3:2). "God shall wipe away all tears" (Rev. 21:4), and all will say: "As for God, his way is perfect" (Psalm 18:30).

-Henry M. Morris

01/28/11

I just love this picture... and some to follow that are similar. Notice the drop of water? :)
It is Friday.

It has been a long week.

I am wondering if there is a full moon, but I know it isn't because we saw it last week. Maybe it is the wind? Hmm...no, there is wind but not that much.

My class got to be "cells" today for a Fitness activity. There were some that were red blood cells, some that were viruses attacking those blood cells and others who were white blood cells "saving the day." They had a blast. It was comical to watch. I loved it.

They also got to be a "human digestive tract".... sounds exciting, doesn't it? To be quite honest, it is fun. They didn't want to stop. It is fun "chewing" up your classmates, tossing them into the throat, squishing them down into the stomach, rolling them around into chyme (do ya need to look up that word????), sending them into the small and large intestines and then out into "waste land." Yeah... the ending always gets them giggling.

Oh well.... I am sure there are all kinds of stories from second graders to their parents tonight.

Maybe we'll play again next week.

After I have had some rest. :)

01/27/11

More cool icicles from the barn.

So I asked a riddle yesterday. I didn't get any "takers" on answers except one. I don't blame you... I am not good at figuring out riddles, either. Without further ado, here is the riddle and the answer!

What traps warmth, sprays forth ice and water, yet slips through your fingers with ease?

CLOUDS.

Pretty neat, huh?

I remember the first time I flew and we went through clouds. It was one of the most amazing sights to me. When I was little I used to think they were more solid. Experiencing fog in Maine made me realize how low a cloud can go!

They say every cloud has a silver lining. I believe that with all my heart. When things are covered by "clouds" in your life, our silver lining is knowing God is in control and He will lift those clouds when it is His time.

A couple of weeks ago a former student of our school had a baby and he passed at birth. I found out yesterday of another young woman who graduated from our school years ago and gave birth to a little boy who died. I also heard last night that a set of twins had been born really early and one didn't make it.

I honestly cannot ever remember hearing of that many infants passing like this at one "time." Those families are experiencing the cloud of grief right now. It will take time for that cloud to lift, but until then, God is there. We do not always understand His ways, but they are not for us to understand, but to trust.

He is holding their precious babies.

He is holding them.

One day they will see that silver lining.

01/26/11

Here is a riddle for today. Can you guess what this is?

What traps warmth, sprays forth ice and water, yet slips through your fingers with ease?

01/25/11

These were some icicles coming off of the barn. They were SO stinkin' cool and I loved photographing them. The wind had gotten into them as they were freezing and made them into weird shapes.

What shapes do YOU see in this bottom picture? :)

Today I heard my name a lot.

If I had any problem with amnesia, today would have helped.

:)

I think I know why I enjoy winter.

I am an inside person.

In the winter I can be all cozy and sit by my fireplace.

I don't feel badly about things outside that aren't getting done because everything looks blah anyway.

I know a lot of people are wanting spring to come quickly.

I'll just enjoy the time by my fireplace and take each day as it comes.

Pretty soon I'll be hot, sweaty and wanting to stay in the air conditioner.

01/24/11

I enjoyed capturing icicles in interesting areas. I found that some were right in the middle of an area that had already thawed out.

Here is an enjoyable and typical moment in the life of ME.

On Saturday when Mikayla and I were baking that layer cake, I came across a fraction that caused me a moment of hesitation.

Now, let's remember that Kellie is no Math Genius and is doing better in the fraction areas since her children are in fourth grade. However, she is still not up to where she can figure them out quickly.

The recipe called for 2/3 cup of butter.

2/3 a cup??? I have always done it by halves and fourths!

I began to frantically look over the stick of butter to see where it says "1/3" of anything.

And thinking... why in the world didn't they just figure out it to be a whole, half or fourth of the butter instead of these thirds? Butter adds flavor so why not MORE?

I finally find the spot that says "5 1/3Tbsp. = 1/3 cup"

YES! Now I can do it!

Only to realize I have to do more thinking because I need TWO-thirds.

OK... I have to act like I know what I am doing here.

I begin to say "Mikayla, we are going to use this as a teaching moment!"

I hope you know how to figure out your fractions better than your Momma!!

Let's write down the fraction so we can see how to turn it into 2/3.

No, let's write it down so hopefully your Mom can grasp it within a reasonable amount of time. The butter has been out of the fridge so long it has gone past room temp.

OK, Mikayla... we have to come up with 2/3.... OK... can you figure out how we can get that?

Blank stare.

Blank stare in Mom's head.

Mikayla, to make it easier for you, let's just use two different sticks of butter and cut them both off at the mark of "5 1/3 Tbsp." so you can see what happens.

Actually, your Mom doesn't have it in her right now to figure out the total amount of tablespoons because her heart is palpitating and she has sweaty palms.

Great! Do you see how we have two sticks of butter cut to what we need?

Do you see how we have two ends of butter that can't really be used for anything but melting for something later?

After she plops in those two 5 1/3 Tbsp. sticks of butter into the bowl, I figured it out... we could have just used 10 and 2/3 Tbsp. of butter. Meaning... a whole stick of butter a little bit of another.

And to think I teach math.

Thankfully it is all second grade and on my level. I don't teach adding fractions. We just play with quiet counters and fraction mats. Maybe next time I bake with Mikayla I'll bring those home.

To help me.

01/23/11

Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

01/22/11

I love how the ice on these look like glass.

Are you tired of icicle pictures? I am so sorry if you are. I still have plenty more to go. I have some really cool ones to post in the next week. I have obsessions, people, obsessions...

Here's today's latest:

I made peanut brittle for our best friends husband whose birthday we will be celebrating tonight. He loves my brittle. It is part of his birthday present.

Mikayla and I made his birthday cake from "scratch." Right now it is cooling on the racks. I think I took one layer out a littttttttle too quickly as my handprint is now in the middle of it. Thank goodness for frosting. Chocolate frosting at that!

Something Mikayla and I learned today on this baking adventure... if you want a yellow layer cake you use the whole egg, if you want a white layer cake you only use egg whites. When that realization slapped me in the face I thought it was quite simple to understand, yet didn't understand why it took me until I was 39 and 3/4 years to figure that out. (No comment, Kevin.)

I bought new sweatpants at Walmart this past week because in the days following my surgery I realized how ugly and old my other sweatpants were. I needed some to wear to school but wasn't going to show up in the oldies. Well..... boy, have they changed sweatpants in the last 100 years since I bought a pair! These puppies are quite comfy and just my size. (Can you tell I still had sweatpants from before I lost weight a few years back?)

Steve and Wesley went squirrel hunting again this morning. They didn't get to shoot any. Wesley was about to shoot one when his rifle fell out of his hands because his hands were so cold. Poor buddy... he'll get one yet.

We are supposed to get more frozen precipitation this coming week. Hmmm... I love it, but not missing days of school. We'll see what happens!

Have you done or learned anything interesting today?

01/21/11

The ice was amazingly beautiful on the plants. These pictures just do not do justice to what I saw in person. It was so neat to see how the ice formed right to the shape of the leaves. What a mighty God we serve Who can show us a masterpiece such as this.

Here is a thought for today I read at school:

"A lot of what drives our decisions about what we say, what we wear, where we live, the schools we send our kids to, and everything else is related to fear of what people think of us. We cast an image of ourselves that we want people to believe. It's all about finding acceptance. Once I realized that this is everyone's root problem, I knew the solution was to learn how accepted we are in Christ."
- Chip Ingram

01/20/11

I will do more randomness today in honor of my friend, Kim, who said this morning that she loves my random posts. :)

Here are some random pics of the ice. I love the first one with all the colors.

The second and third were from melting icicles dropping off the barn and re-freezing on the shady part of the weeds.

We were able to see a beautiful moon glow on the water over the lake as we drove this morning. Then, when we looked right across to the eastern side we saw a beautiful sunrise. Now THAT was a beauty to behold from our Heavenly Artist.

I am having a Girls Night Out tomorrow with some of my favorite "peeps." We're going to do a lot of laughing. Maybe I'll even take my camera and capture some of the fun.

We're going to be eating at P.F. Chang's.... I so love their Kung Pao Shrimp. Do any of you like Kung Pao anything?

Last night was the first night since my surgery that I have not had a crazy and vivid dream all night. This past weekend I dreamed I was being chased by someone and even cried out and scared Steve to pieces.

Do you remember your dreams?

I have successfully kept the clothes folded from the dryer for the last two weeks and have not created "Mount Everest" on my dresser. That makes me want to do a happy dance.

Is there something you have accomplished in the last week that may be small, but makes you feel good?

I finished reading the book Skin by Ted Dekker this past weekend. Hmmm.... have any of you read Ted Dekker (beside's Kevin...)? I was left hanging at the end of that book and I just don't like it if I do not have full closure when I finish a book.

What is a favorite book you have read recently?

I cannot stand to read predictable books. You know, the kind that from the first word you know who is going to fall in love with whom and yada, yada, yada....

Are you a predictable book reader or do you love a twist?

I really want a McDonald's Medium sized Mocha Frappe right now. However, because I am watching what I am splurging on I will resist for the day.

Are you craving something today, too?

I must end this randomness and get down to some cleanliness around this house.

Do you have a specific day you clean certain things?

01/19/11

There are a lot of pictures today.... icicles and a plain old mess. :) You'll understand as you read further.

I photographed many, many icicles coming off of our barn. They were quite addictive.

I thought this one was quite interesting the way it formed. I drug a step ladder out in the snow just so I could capture these. lol

Now on to my next set of pictures.... the mess.

Have any of you ever seen the program "Clean House - Messiest Homes in America?"

We have watched a few episodes and let me just say they have made my house on a bad day look GOOD. These people have problems with cleanliness, but it also seems to be something that lies much deeper... it is inside the people, not necessarily the messes on the outside they have made. They need to get the inside of themselves "cleaned" while they are cleaning the house.

I can remember not so long ago when our office.... and certain parts of our house were in dire need of an extreme makeover. When the twins were born I was so overwhelmed with double stuff that I didn't know where to put it or what to do with it all..... so I just kept it and moved it from one place to another until finally our home was ridiculous. I was also dealing with huge sentimentality that caused me to never want to throw anything away. I was dealing with a lot of emotions from the inability to have children and now finally having them that Satan used that to keep me down. I was so over my head I didn't know where to start.

Thanks to my best friend and my Mom things began to change when we started to clean out. As I began to clean out my house, the Lord began to clean out my heart as well.

Here are some pictures of my office:

I posted these pictures a couple of years ago of my office before the current makeover. Let's just say I am keeping it VERY real here. And you'll probably want to click on the photos just so you can open your mouth even wider that I let the office look like that. lol



You would not believe how many bags of trash and junk were taken out of this office. I realize I also had the kids toys in there that they still played with when they were younger, but this was sad.

Since it has been cleaned up and out it has been SO much better. I'll be the first to say that we LIVE in our home, but we surely do try to keep it in order.

Are you like I was on the inside....is your spiritual life a clutter? Do you have some things that are overwhelming you and you just don't know how to get rid of the "junk" in your heart? God wants you to have freedom in Him, not the clutter that Satan wants to keep you in so that you cannot effectively do what the Lord wants.

A friend might just be the person you need to lean on and ask for help. Ask the Lord to guide you to the right friend. If I hadn't asked for help with my rooms they may still be looking somewhat like they are pictured above. If I hadn't allowed the Lord to work in my heart my life would still be in an overwhelmed state. Don't be afraid to find someone close and let them help you de-clutter your life so you can be used more fully by the Lord.

There is such freedom in that and I know how that feels!

01/18/11

These are from the ice storm last week. I decided to do them both black and white to give a different look. I could not get over the beauty of the sun reflecting on the ice. In the second shot especially you can see the glow of the ice from the sun. I love how it looks like blurred Christmas lights behind the twigs.

I had someone tell me something yesterday that kind of floored me.

The person, in all sincerity, told me they didn't think I ever had any difficulties or problems because I am always so "upbeat."

I had mixed reactions to that... definitely not against the person, but in analyzing myself.

My first thought was: "OH GOODNESS... ME?"

My second thought was: "Do I make people THINK that I am all good and that life never has any problems?"

Now, I do not want to go around wearing my problems on my shoulders just to prove I have them. I know the Lord doesn't want us to do that. However, I am human just like anyone and I have issues that the Lord has had to work on with me. I want people to understand that. We are all a work in progress.

I have learned much in the last 5 years. I have learned even more in the last year and a half.

I may have been a Christian for almost 32 years but my huge growth in the Lord has been in my 30's.

He has taught me to:

Spend time with Him daily in order to learn more about Him and grow in Him.

Trust Him even in the smallest of things.

Rely on Him to do what He says.

Call on Him for every thing.

Give thanks to Him for how He is working even when it is hard.

Accept the chastisement of the Lord as a gift to make you more like Him.

Realize that without Him I can do nothing.


There is no perfect world..... only a perfect Savior.

For that, I am thankful.

I pray that the Lord will use me in the right way to give the right perception of Him in my life.

01/17/11

Today is going to be so random:

See this little guy?

He is the center of my centerpiece on my kitchen table.

I realize there are those of you out there that could do something with more "spizazz" to it, but for someone non-creative in the art of decorating, I was quite tickled with this little scene. What made me even more tickled was the fact that I got all of it for $2.00. That is reason enough for anyone to shout.

We finally got to see Voyage of the Dawn Treader on Saturday. We saw it in 3D. WOW... that is an awesome movie. I loved, loved, loved reading all of the Narnia books to Wesley and Mikayla and now getting to see them come alive on screen makes them even more special. If you haven't seen the movie, go see it! :)

My body is continuing to tell me that I am not over surgery. Now, I know some of you are saying "DUH" with that. Since my surgery was laproscopically (sp?) done and I was in and out of the hospital in 12 hours (ER and surgery time included) I am thinking maybe I should be "better" by now????? I look at people who have had major surgeries and I am all about them waiting their six weeks and taking it slow. I think my mind is seriously misguided with my surgery that I should be "over it" by now. I have to keep reminding myself that I am still healing and things are not going to be exactly right for a few more weeks.

Anyone else out there ever have that problem if they have had "drive -thru" surgery? Am I the weird one? lol

I had one of my children blow me a kiss today when she kept checking to see if I was watching her go to the other building. It made my day.

I have another student that has the way I say "Honey" down pat and loves to tell me. lol On Friday she jumped in my lap and told me she loved me and I was the best teacher E.V.E.R. (I realize most kids say that during the year you have them but forget you when they move on to higher grades. lol) BUT... she made my weekend.

I love when thoughts of my students puts smiles on my faces because of something they did or said. I really do love what I do each day.

Something else to remember: PEOPLE are more important than work/papers.

Just sayin'.

Do you have any randomness you want to share with me today? Come on.... I'd LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. :)

01/16/11

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 4:14
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Revelation 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

01/15/11

I love the blue sky against the melting of icicles. I realize this isn't very close, but you can get the effect of icicles hanging off the barn. lol
My bloggy friend Wendy asked me what the fourth grade project was all about. Well... I thought I'd show you....

This is a completed notebook of a friend who let us see how the book has to come together. You have to use a 3-4 inch binder to get everything in it! We actually have notebooks of two friends to get different visual ideas. (I AM a visual learner, you know...)

The notebook has 15 sections.... I'll share the sections below:

Most of the notebook is to be done at home, but there are things they will do and learn in class that they will bring home and place in their notebook. If there are extra things to do with a section I shared that following the section name. I didn't have room to share EVERY extra thing.

Section 1 - Introduction

Section 2 - State Symbols

Section 3 - Geography and Weather

Section 4 - History

Section 5 - Cities (they have to include a report on a chosen city with photos, brochures, places of interest of the city, etc....)

Section 6 - Economy

Section 7 - Government (they have to research government officials and include a picture of each with name and title)

Section 8 - Wildlife and Plant Life

Section 9 - Entertainment and Attractions (they must include 10 pieces of information about each region of NC - mountain, piedmont, coastal plains - that would include postcards, brochures, magazines or newspaper articles, internet information, etc... and use at least 3 different sources.)

Section 10 - North Carolina Site Visited (they have to visit an NC site and write a summary of the visit and five facts learned.)

Section 11 - Travel Brochure

Section 12 - First additional project (they can do a hands on project or write a report)

Section 13 -Second additional project (same as first project)

Section 14 - Review

Section 15 - Appendix (and not MINE. lol)

Here is Wesley's first project - a model of Wilbur and Orville Wright's plane flown at Kitty Hawk.

The box said it was for years 10+.... let's just say my 43 year old husband and myself are having a hard time figuring out parts of this thing.

Wes also wants to make the lighthouses of our coast. Not sure if he wants to do all of them or just one.

Mikayla wants to make a replica of a colonial home and write a report for her extra projects.

Can you now understand why I am a bit overwhelmed doing two of these? I know they will learn a lot and I am happy about that. I just know it is going to be A LOT OF WORK and time between now and April 20.

Pray for me.

01/14/11

Hurting.

That is what a lot of people are doing today.


There are some that I know personally, some I know distantly, and others I have watched on TV in the last week.

There is a friend who is hurting silently with all sorts of personal things. On the outside the friend may look "normal" but on the inside, the friend is crumbling.

There are those who are weeping over the loss of a newborn baby today.

There is a lady who was perfectly normal one minute and fighting for her life in the next.

There are those that are hurting over tragic events that have been all over the news.

So much hurt has surrounded me lately. Sometimes it is hard to know how to pray or remember all that need it.

I am so thankful that my Heavenly Father knows our hurts and sorrows. He is there, holding us and loving us through. I am reminded today of this verse:

Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.


I love how the NASB puts the last part:
the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

So many times we hurt so deeply there are no words but our Great Comforter knows our hearts and heals from the inside out. He groans with us! He knows what it is like to suffer. He HAS walked in our shoes.

Take the time today to give someone a hug and tell them that you love them.

Pray for them.

They may be hurting.

Share the love of Christ and let them know you care.

It just might make the biggest difference.

01/13/11

I love the following picture! Can anyone guess why???? :) (This was not taken yesterday, either... those will probably have to come next week!)

These are the same pic... I just experimented with tinting the photograph blue. What do you think? I thought it made the picture appear "colder" which is what I wanted seeing as it was COLD when I took it.

So, two weeks ago today I had my surgery.

I got the bill for just the hospital yesterday.

My "drive-thru" surgery cost over $21,000.00.

OY.

So thankful for insurance!

I have had a lot of people comment on me going back to school the Monday after surgery.

I realize to most people, that is quite soon.... and to my body, it WAS.

I did take it slow and took naps every afternoon. I was not trying to prove anything... just knew what needed to be done and did it.

However, if you are a teacher you are going to understand this statement:

It is easier to go in and warm the chair and do what you need to do slowly, than try to take the extra time to write down and explain what to do for someone else.... because it takes double the time to do so.

This is precisely why I rarely take a day off of school.

It takes twice as long to prepare for a substitute than it is for me to just be there myself.

Hence... that is why I was at school the week following my appendectomy.


So there you have it....

Most people who know me in real life understand this post. lol :)

01/12/11

Icy, icy, icy... we got some ice. I didn't go outside at all yesterday for fear of falling on my behind. Today I ventured out after school and got some shots.
ONLY... these are not it. lol I haven't had time to work on them yet so you'll have to see the ones from the snow. I think I love photographing ice and icicles just as much as I do water/rain droplets. What is it with me and water in all its forms?

Here is a thought for today:

God never makes me feel my weakness, but that He may lead me to seek strength from Him.

01/11/11

On this date of 1.11.11 we were off of school. Not because of something this lovely:

But because of ICE. Our driveway is slicker than a peeled onion.

We have a two hour delay tomorrow.

What have we done on this lovely day at home?

Well...

Worked on two North Carolina projects. (You'll be hearing me say we are doing that A LOT between now and April 20.)

Read some... began the book Skin by Ted Dekker. Never read any of his things before but I know Kevin has. It is already quite suspenseful!

Took a nap. (My body IS still trying to recover, you know....)

Enjoyed being home with my family around the fire.

Watched Molly slip and slide around the deck and sidewalks.

Worked with Molly on sitting.

Most people are ready for summer already.

ME? Well, I enjoy cold weather more than the hot, humid mess we have in summer around these parts. I am just being content in the season I am in and not wanting to rush anything. (***Said from a southern point of view of a cold winter.... I realize those people in the north get slammed a lot more than we do and I am not sure I could take that. lol)

Off to do more North Carolina project stuff.....

01/10/11

Once again I am showing a BW and color version of the same pic. I think I am still leaning towards the BW, too, but the color version has nice contrast with the icicles.

I was saddened this past weekend to hear of the shooting of Congresswoman Giffords and many of the people who were around her at the time. I just cannot understand someone becoming so angry at an official that they choose to do something so hateful. Rep. Giffords is basically my age. It was a sobering thought.

I may not agree with everything she stands for politically, but I would never want something like this to occur.

It is always interesting to me when tragic events such as this happen, government officials who normally want no part of prayer in our public areas are quick to ask for prayers for someone. Do they really think that life can be divided into categories where you can turn off and on your spirituality at a given time?

Whether people today believe it or not, they are all believing in something. Many believe in God... or some believe in a "Higher Being." Some believe in themselves, others believe in good works, and others just trust in the fact that they believe there is no God. Any way you look at it, all people believe in something.

I have been reading a book called Destiny Junction by Michael Phillips. It has brought out some interesting things for me to think about regarding why we need salvation in the Lord.

Here is an excerpt from the book of the character of the pastor who is preaching at his daughter's funeral.

"What do we need to be saved from? The answer I would pose is simply this - ourselves. Without God, we are left to ourselves - alone. Aloneness now, aloneness for eternity. Many, of course, do not think of themselves as alone. In the midst of an active, fast-paced, even happy life, it is easy to succumb to the illusion of non-aloneness."

"You must understand that I am not speaking of mere loneliness. This aloneness is something much different. If one is living without a daily relationship with God, then that individual is living alone, whether he or she feels loneliness or not. You may be reasonably fulfilled and contented. It doesn't matter. Without God in your heart, you are alone. It is just that simple."

God created us to commune with Him. That was His plan from the beginning before Adam and Eve broke that communion with sin. Salvation is not only about saving you from the fire of Hell, but saving you from an eternity of separation from God. The way that was described above made "separation from God for eternity" make even more sense to me. That is something I have always known and understood the meaning, but used in those terms it brings it to a different level.

Through this tragedy that happened to Rep. Giffords, I don't know the state of her heart, but if she has never accepted the Lord as her Savior she is the same in God's eyes as the man who shot her. It is not about "good vs. evil"... it is about knowing the Creator, the one God, our Heavenly Father and not being alone. That is what salvation is about.

Are you alone?

Do you need the Savior?

01/09/11

I can't decide if I like the black and white version or color version better. I am leaning more towards the black and white.

As we get into this new year, may we keep our eyes focused on the One Who gives us freely all that we need and provides grace in times when we fail Him. This year is full of possibilities but we have to remember the One Who gives us those possibilities and use them for Him!

Jude 24,25
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.