i'm just saying...

note to self:

i've been on the couch

for way too long

when an ity bity spider

spins an ity bity web

across my arm

an opened Bible

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"I prayed for Faith,

and thought that some day

Faith would come down

and strike me like lightning.

But Faith did not seem to come.

One day I read in

the tenth chapter of Romans,

'Now Faith cometh by hearing,

and hearing by the Word of God'.

I had closed my Bible,

and prayed for Faith.

I now opened my Bible,

and began to study, and

Faith has been growing ever since."
~D.L. Moody

speak

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Have you ever had a song that stays with you for awhile? I’ve had the same song four days now. I sing and I hum, and sing and sing, and hum and hum. In particular, the chorus ‘sings’ the loudest.

Word of God Speak (by ‘Mercy Me’)

(chorus)

Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

To me, this song is a reminder that God speaks to me, but first, I have to listen. I have to open my mind and my heart to God. I need to be quiet, to be ready, to be prepared, to be focused, to be willing, to be trusting, to be obedient, to be eager.

What better place to be, than to rest in God’s holiness?

lilies and laughter

hear and listen

-->hearing from God isn't so much a matter of if He's talking, but rather, whether we're listening

When I pray, do I expect God to hear?

When I pray, do I expect God to listen?

Hear my prayer, O God;

listen to the words of my mouth.

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Psalm 54:2 NIV

When God speaks, do I hear?

When God speaks, do I listen?

For God does speak, now one way,

now another, though man may not perceive it.

Job 33:14 NIV

These are just a few items on my ‘hear and listen’ list:

• His Word
• the Holy Spirit
• circumstances
• my prayers
• nature
• my thoughts
• His peace
• my conscience
• music and songs

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conversations with others

Can anyone add to this list?

today we celebrate the little lady's birthday

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you must be made of sunshine

and some stars from up above

a little bit of sugar

and lots and lots of love

happy 2^nd birthday!

We love you very much,

Poppy and Nana

today we celebrate...love

“I love you”

can be said

in so many

different ways…

but it can never

be said enough.

Happy 29^th Anniversary

To my very best friend.

happy birthday

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son, may you always have...…

friends to share your journey,

hope to light each mile,

work that hones your talents,

love that warms your smile,

wisdom for your problems,

comfort for your griefs,

faith in your convictions,

strength in your beliefs,

goals that are a challenge,

dreams that take you far,

and days like this to celebrate

the man and son you are!

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we love you,

mom & dad

psalm 52:8

parenthood...

r - i - s - k

To laugh is to risk ... appearing a fool.

To weep is to risk ... appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk ... involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk ... rejection.
To place your dreams before the crowd is to risk ... ridicule.
To love is to risk ... being loved in return.
To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk ... failure.

But, risks must be taken, because the greatest risk of all is to risk nothing.
Those who risk nothing ... do nothing, have nothing, are nothing.
They may temporarily avoid suffering and sorrow, but
They cannot feel, learn, change, grow, live, or love.
Chained by their certitudes, they become slaves forfeiting their freedom.
Only the person who risks is free.
~ Chuck Swindoll

a tiny little ant

While doing a study on some of the reasons God sent Jesus to live as a man, I came across a perfect analogy. It may be a bit simplistic, but it works for me.

"If all the world was a colony of ants, and you as a human wanted to communicate with them, how could you best do that?"

"Become an ant?"

"That's right! That's exactly what God did!"

So, why did God send Jesus to be born, to die, and to rise again?

God sent Jesus to:

show the world that He loves us

demonstrate what God is like

give us the gift of eternal life

be reconciled to God

be the atonement for our sins

be the Savior of the world

"The birth of Jesus was not, as in ordinary births, the creation of a new personality. It was a divine Person -- already existing -- entering on this new mode of existence. Miracle could alone effect such a wonder."

The Virgin Birth of Christ, by James Orr

By this the love of God was manifested (shown, revealed) in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (atoning sacrifice, payment) for our sins.

1 John 4:9-10 NAS

the Holy Bible

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God did not write a book and send it by messenger to be read at a distance by unaided minds. He spoke a Book and lives in His spoken words, constantly speaking His words and causing the power of them to persist across the years. ~A W Tozer

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d l moody

“Out of one hundred men, one will read the Bible, the other ninety-nine will read the Christian.”

~ D L Moody

“In our prayers, we talk to God, in our Bible study, God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”

~ D L Moody

God is like ...

GOD is like BAYER ASPIRIN ... He works miracles.

GOD is like a FORD ... He's got a better idea.

GOD is like COKE ... He's the real thing.

GOD is like HALLMARK CARDS ... He cares enough to send His very best.

GOD is like TIDE ... He gets the stains out that others leave behind.

GOD is like GENERAL ELECTRIC ... He brings good things to life.

GOD is like SEARS ... He has everything.

GOD is like ALKA-SELTZER ... Try Him, you'll like him.

GOD is like SCOTCH TAPE ... You can't see him, but you know He's there.

GOD is like DELTA ... He's ready when you are.

GOD is like ALLSTATE ... You're in good hands with Him.

GOD is like VO-5 HAIR SPRAY ... He holds through all kinds of weather.

GOD is like DIAL SOAP ... Aren't you glad you have Him.
Don't you wish everybody did?

until I’m in the presence of the most awesome garden ever

Yesterday, I spent some time outside in the warmth of sunshine. I suppose the day felt like an itty-bitty, teeny-weeny, minuscule piece of heaven on earth.

I enjoy my garden, enjoy getting my hands in the dirt, enjoy planting flowers, enjoy caring for them, enjoy watching them grow, enjoy their beauty. But, no matter how carefully I tend to and watch over these incredible plants, it’s the love of God that sustains these, His stunning creations. Yes, He made their beauty for me to enjoy......

Of course, if I throw seeds willy-nilly in the direction of unbroken dirt, or pitch them under the storage building, or walk all over them, what can I expect? If I have delicate, tender seedlings, but don’t plant them in good dirt, don’t gently cover the roots, don’t water them, don’t protect them, what can I expect? If I trample my garden, if I neglect my garden, if I ignore my garden, what can I expect? Yes, I’ll have nothing to admire......

God gave me everything I need to have a magnificent garden. It’s up to me to accept His gift, it’s up to me to take care of His gift, it’s up to me to use His gift, it’s up to me to share His gift. Yes, it’s up to me......

Without God, I wouldn’t have a garden. Eventually, my garden will wither and die. In the mean time, I’ll continue to enjoy my garden, until I’m in the presence of the most awesome garden ever, and marvel in its splendor for eternity......

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.
Isaiah 40:8 NAS

the dandy, dandy, dandelion

the little lady and the dandelion seeds...

The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:12 NAS











God made the dandelion and said, "It is good. The dandelion’s bloom is like a spot of sun to make my children smile. It is plentiful so they can eat the leaves and still never lack for flowers." He smiled when the seed ball popped up. "Yes, my little children will have fun with that, and look at all the fresh seeds for my songbirds weary from the winter. Yes, it is good."
(Unknown source)

poppy wouldn't dress like this for just anyone

bbq

Barbeque (barbecuing) is not a method of cooking food on a grill outside.
Instead, the proper name for that activity is grilling or grilling out(side).

Barbeque (bbq) (bar-be-que) is a food you eat. BBQ is cooked many different ways. My favorite good 'ole NC bbq is hickory smoked slow cooked pork. And, I like mine chopped.

This video clip is dedicated to the love of my life. Oh, that's my sweetie, not the bbq.
Hope you enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ubTQfr_tyY

and it was very good

This past Friday, sweetie and I went for a drive. Our destination was up to God’s Country – also known as Watauga County, NC. Would you believe the main reason for the trip was to eat a late lunch at Woodlands? That’s sort of the truth. Actually, our freezer was empty of Woodland’s barbeque and had to be restocked. My sweetie is a barbeque fanatic, addict, maniac, well, you get the idea.

I love to see the mountains in early spring. Every imaginable hue of green stretched over the hills and gaps and ranges and valleys and ravines. Tiny buds and delicate flowers in shades of red and yellow and blue and purple were sprinkled over the expansive landscape. A few patches of remaining snow peeked thru the otherwise fresh, new growth. Crystal creeks and pristine streams drifted peacefully by. The promise of another new season hung in the air.

A cool, rainy morning became a warm, sunny afternoon. The panoramic views displayed nature at its best. As I breathed in the pure mountain air and breathtaking views, I saw a little glimpse of heaven. Once again, the majesty of our Creator was revealed in the splendor I observed.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Genesis 1:31 NAS