After spending several months freezing or at least being cold we look forward to spring. The flowers bloom and if you are in Texas the bluebonnets are amazing this time of year. The birds begin to sing and lots of baby animals are born. It is like a new beginning. Coming out of the dark into the light.
Sometimes during spring it gets cold and dreary again. It is like we are being teased. But think about it for a minute. God is in control and just maybe He wants us to remember that. If we get too used to the beauty we might not appreciate it as much.
Coming out of the darkness into the light. Jesus is the light. Flowers bloom in the light. We need to bloom in the light-Jesus.
Something to think about.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Grandma's Christmas
We had Grandma's Christmas at our house this year. That might sound strange to some of you but that is what it was labeled and I must say I liked it being called that. I am Grandma! You see it was the first time in many years all our children, their spouces and our grandchildren were all together with Doug and I for Christmas. Actually it was after Christmas but it was still a celebration together.
We ate together, played games together, took pictures together and some of us even worshipped together. We laughed alot. Grandma's Christmas was fun.
You know what is not fun? Sickness. Some of us ended up sick. The flu struck.
It is never fun to have sickness at your house. Doug has the flu. I have read where many of my friends have been sick or had family members that were sick. It is never fun.
Sometimes we have to endure the bad to realize the good. To be thankful for the good.
It wasn't fun for Jesus to die on that cross either but because He did we can celebrate the good------HEAVEN!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Noah
When Doug was getting ready for his by-pass surgery a nice man stopped by. He is a volunteer at the hospital that has been through the surgery and lets the patient know what to expect. On this day he brought his grandson, Noah. He wanted to see first hand what his grandfather did. A few days after the surgery Doug had a visit from the volunteer. He told us Noah had been concerned about Mr. Suggs so he came to see so he could let Noah know how he was doing. This was special to us.
Last Saturday Mr. Nix, the volunteer and his grandson Noah and granddaughter, Ali stopped by our house. This was such a wonderful surprise. Noah got to see first had that Mr. Suggs was doing well.
After they left I began to think about the Noah of the Bible. Noah was told to build an ark that would save him and is family from a flood. Now there had never been rain before so you can imagine how this looked to the people watching. Noah had great faith in God. He built that ark even though the people laughed at him. He and his family and lots of animals went into this ark and it began to rain.
Now they were locked in an ark with lots of smelly animals while it rained for 40 days and nights. Then even longer while they waited on the land to dry and for God to open the door. That takes lots of faith, and patience. They were rewarded for their actions. For the faith they had in God.
How is your faith today? When troubles arise how do you handle them? Do you trust God to see you through them or do you try to handle it yourself?
Something to think about.
Last Saturday Mr. Nix, the volunteer and his grandson Noah and granddaughter, Ali stopped by our house. This was such a wonderful surprise. Noah got to see first had that Mr. Suggs was doing well.
After they left I began to think about the Noah of the Bible. Noah was told to build an ark that would save him and is family from a flood. Now there had never been rain before so you can imagine how this looked to the people watching. Noah had great faith in God. He built that ark even though the people laughed at him. He and his family and lots of animals went into this ark and it began to rain.
Now they were locked in an ark with lots of smelly animals while it rained for 40 days and nights. Then even longer while they waited on the land to dry and for God to open the door. That takes lots of faith, and patience. They were rewarded for their actions. For the faith they had in God.
How is your faith today? When troubles arise how do you handle them? Do you trust God to see you through them or do you try to handle it yourself?
Something to think about.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Excitement!
It has been so busy and so fun around here. Our Christmas Open House was so much fun. It took lots of work to get ready for it but it was worth it. All the wonderful people that came was such an encouragement.
Then back to work on Monday. But it was even fun on Monday! There is a German Tradition that a pickle ornament is hidden on the tree and whoever finds it gets a gift. Well my daughter-in-law picked me up some pickle ornaments in Fredericksburg. I hid one on our tree at work. You should see all the adult men and women looking for that pickle. It is so much fun. Some of them are down on the floor looking up into the tree. Some have found it so I move it to another place. One of our men is about to go crazy because he can't find it. One woman finally found it after looking a long time. Her comment was, "now I can sleep tonight"!
It is good to see adults leaving all cares and worries behind to find of all things a pickle! We need times like this to refresh. Laughter is so good.
Sometimes we get bogged down with things of this world. Remember God and His word for refreshment of a different kind. Have a great day.
Then back to work on Monday. But it was even fun on Monday! There is a German Tradition that a pickle ornament is hidden on the tree and whoever finds it gets a gift. Well my daughter-in-law picked me up some pickle ornaments in Fredericksburg. I hid one on our tree at work. You should see all the adult men and women looking for that pickle. It is so much fun. Some of them are down on the floor looking up into the tree. Some have found it so I move it to another place. One of our men is about to go crazy because he can't find it. One woman finally found it after looking a long time. Her comment was, "now I can sleep tonight"!
It is good to see adults leaving all cares and worries behind to find of all things a pickle! We need times like this to refresh. Laughter is so good.
Sometimes we get bogged down with things of this world. Remember God and His word for refreshment of a different kind. Have a great day.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Complaining
In my Wednesday night Bible Class we have been studying Moses. We just crossed the Red Sea last week. Remember all the complaining and lack of trust they had when they got to the sea and saw the Egyptians headed right for them? God took care of everything. They then rejoiced. As I was preparing for this week they begin the complaints again. The water is bitter. "You have brought us out here to die!" Now this is a very large group of people that had been slaves for 400 years. God rescued them from that then rescued them again at the Red Sea. What happened to the rejoicing and their faith? Well God takes care of them again. Food and water provided. Over and over again this happens. Their faith is good when things are going the way they want them to.
Are we like that? It really made me stop and think as I was reading this all again. We trust in God when things are great but as things start to slip our faith sometimes does too. You know God never leaves us. He never slips. Who does the slipping?
Something to think about.
Are we like that? It really made me stop and think as I was reading this all again. We trust in God when things are great but as things start to slip our faith sometimes does too. You know God never leaves us. He never slips. Who does the slipping?
Something to think about.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
How are you feeling today?
How are you feeling today?
I have a friend that always says "HI, How are you?" when she approaches. Just love her.
Most of the time when someone asks us that question we say fine. We might be in great pain physically or emotionally but we say fine. Now when a person asks that question do they really want to know how we are or are they just being polite? Something to think about.
Recently someone asked me that question and I said fine and he said, "Now how are you really?" He really wanted to know.
When we ask someone that question do we really want to know how they are feeling or are we just being polite? Something to think about.
Maybe we need to be more sincere when we greet people. Maybe we need to take more time when talking to others. Let them know we really are interested in how they are.
Jesus cares how we are and He cares how others are.
Aren't we supposed to be more like Him? Something to think about.
I have a friend that always says "HI, How are you?" when she approaches. Just love her.
Most of the time when someone asks us that question we say fine. We might be in great pain physically or emotionally but we say fine. Now when a person asks that question do they really want to know how we are or are they just being polite? Something to think about.
Recently someone asked me that question and I said fine and he said, "Now how are you really?" He really wanted to know.
When we ask someone that question do we really want to know how they are feeling or are we just being polite? Something to think about.
Maybe we need to be more sincere when we greet people. Maybe we need to take more time when talking to others. Let them know we really are interested in how they are.
Jesus cares how we are and He cares how others are.
Aren't we supposed to be more like Him? Something to think about.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Our Trip
Our Trip was amazing! If you ever get the chance to go then do it! This is going to be long and I am going to leave a lot out. Sorry.
We left Austin and flew to New York and then on to Rome, Italy. We went by bus to the Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Ship. We spent two wonderful days floating on the water on our way to Alexandria, Egypt. We were docked there two days. On the first day there we had a chance to to Cairo and see the Pyramids but decided not to go. One reason was it had only been six weeks since Doug's surgery and it was going to be a 13 hour day with 5 hours travel time on a bus and the other thing was the unrest there and our children's fears for us. We watched others as they got on the buses to go and saw men in suits get on the buses with guns! It was for their protection. We talked to several the next day and it was a disappointing trip for them. There was a demonstration and an explosion that took place that day but you will not hear about it. We did go into Alexandria, well right off the ship to a market place. There we met Jimmy Green from Missouri! Actually he was an Egyptian trying to sell us things. He was so funny and we did buy some things from him.
The next day we went on an excursion in Alexandria. We went to the library there and saw the Gutenburg Bible and some of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other manuscripts. Then we went to see a catacomb. This was really interesting. We saw other sights around the town also.
The next day we were in Ashdod, Israel. We went to Jaffa and Tela Viv that day. We went to the area where Jonah boarded the ship running away from God, and also where Peter might have been when he had the vision of the sheet with all the animals on it when God told him to teach all men. We ate Falafas in downtown Jaffa. We drove through Telaviv. It is a very modern and worldly city.
The next day we went to Jerusalem and Bethlehem. This was an amazing experience. Things are commercialized but still knowing Jesus walked those streets at one time and you are there walking those streets is amazing. We went to the Garden of Gethsemane. There are still some of the same Olive Trees there that were there 2,000 years ago. Now remember I am telling you what our guide told us. She also said a lot of what she was telling us was not in the Bible but was tradition that had been handed down for 2,000 years and was right. There are church buildings built on top of all the places you go so you take everything with a grain of salt so to speak. Still amazing. We then went to the wailing wall. It is divided and the men go to one place and the women another place. You are not allowed to go together. We also saw several Barmitzvas (I don't know how to spell it.) taking place while there. It was very crowded. Then on to the market place and the 12 stages of where Jesus walked carrying His cross. According to this guide He fell three times and Mary came and kissed Him at one place and there is a place He put His hand to keep from falling and other things along the way. They now have doors on the stalls of the Market Place so they can leave their wares there and close them up at night. We went to the burial place of Jesus. A large church building is built there also. Then we went to lunch at a large modern hotel there. Then a bus ride to Bethlehem. Now since Bethlehem is under Palestinian rule it has been walled in. You have to go through gates and security to get in. The people living in Bethlehem are not allowed in Jerusalem with out special permission. We went to the Church of the Nativity. We were not able to go down into the cave because we arrived there late and it would have been a two hour wait and we had to travel back to the ship. We did however tour the building and when we went into the sanctuary we sang "Silent Night" as a group. This was really neat. We traveled by a place that was the area where David slew Goliath! So much to see and I know I am leaving out a lot of things. You just have to go yourselves!
We had another day at sea then docked in Athens, Greece. We went to the Acropolis and saw the Parthenon but the thing Doug liked best was he got to stand on Mars Hill and quote Paul's speech! We also went to a place where they make cameos. They are made out of shell. Well I didn't buy one. I told Doug I had plenty of shells at home he could just watch the master carver and make me one when we got home!
We had another day at sea and docked at Naples, Italy. We went to see Pompeii. This was so amazing. These people were so beyond their time in so many ways.
The next morning we were in Civitevechia, Italy where the ship docked for the last time. We had to leave the ship and ride a bus back to Rome and head back to the United States. Now I love our country but I knew when I got back I would have to go back to work. Now my job is not a hard one but when you have been pampered, fed, and entertained for 11 days it is hard to get back in the groove of work, cleaning, doing laundry and cooking. I think I might need a few prayers. No I will need a lot of prayers!!!
I know this has been long and I left a lot out.
God is amazing and He created all the places we went. He is such a great and loving and caring God. But most of all He is a forgiving God. That is such a peaceful feeling. While we were on the ship we had our own "Sunday" worship service together in another country and it was still God's country!
Isn't God good!
We left Austin and flew to New York and then on to Rome, Italy. We went by bus to the Mariner of the Seas Royal Caribbean Ship. We spent two wonderful days floating on the water on our way to Alexandria, Egypt. We were docked there two days. On the first day there we had a chance to to Cairo and see the Pyramids but decided not to go. One reason was it had only been six weeks since Doug's surgery and it was going to be a 13 hour day with 5 hours travel time on a bus and the other thing was the unrest there and our children's fears for us. We watched others as they got on the buses to go and saw men in suits get on the buses with guns! It was for their protection. We talked to several the next day and it was a disappointing trip for them. There was a demonstration and an explosion that took place that day but you will not hear about it. We did go into Alexandria, well right off the ship to a market place. There we met Jimmy Green from Missouri! Actually he was an Egyptian trying to sell us things. He was so funny and we did buy some things from him.
The next day we went on an excursion in Alexandria. We went to the library there and saw the Gutenburg Bible and some of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other manuscripts. Then we went to see a catacomb. This was really interesting. We saw other sights around the town also.
The next day we were in Ashdod, Israel. We went to Jaffa and Tela Viv that day. We went to the area where Jonah boarded the ship running away from God, and also where Peter might have been when he had the vision of the sheet with all the animals on it when God told him to teach all men. We ate Falafas in downtown Jaffa. We drove through Telaviv. It is a very modern and worldly city.
The next day we went to Jerusalem and Bethlehem. This was an amazing experience. Things are commercialized but still knowing Jesus walked those streets at one time and you are there walking those streets is amazing. We went to the Garden of Gethsemane. There are still some of the same Olive Trees there that were there 2,000 years ago. Now remember I am telling you what our guide told us. She also said a lot of what she was telling us was not in the Bible but was tradition that had been handed down for 2,000 years and was right. There are church buildings built on top of all the places you go so you take everything with a grain of salt so to speak. Still amazing. We then went to the wailing wall. It is divided and the men go to one place and the women another place. You are not allowed to go together. We also saw several Barmitzvas (I don't know how to spell it.) taking place while there. It was very crowded. Then on to the market place and the 12 stages of where Jesus walked carrying His cross. According to this guide He fell three times and Mary came and kissed Him at one place and there is a place He put His hand to keep from falling and other things along the way. They now have doors on the stalls of the Market Place so they can leave their wares there and close them up at night. We went to the burial place of Jesus. A large church building is built there also. Then we went to lunch at a large modern hotel there. Then a bus ride to Bethlehem. Now since Bethlehem is under Palestinian rule it has been walled in. You have to go through gates and security to get in. The people living in Bethlehem are not allowed in Jerusalem with out special permission. We went to the Church of the Nativity. We were not able to go down into the cave because we arrived there late and it would have been a two hour wait and we had to travel back to the ship. We did however tour the building and when we went into the sanctuary we sang "Silent Night" as a group. This was really neat. We traveled by a place that was the area where David slew Goliath! So much to see and I know I am leaving out a lot of things. You just have to go yourselves!
We had another day at sea then docked in Athens, Greece. We went to the Acropolis and saw the Parthenon but the thing Doug liked best was he got to stand on Mars Hill and quote Paul's speech! We also went to a place where they make cameos. They are made out of shell. Well I didn't buy one. I told Doug I had plenty of shells at home he could just watch the master carver and make me one when we got home!
We had another day at sea and docked at Naples, Italy. We went to see Pompeii. This was so amazing. These people were so beyond their time in so many ways.
The next morning we were in Civitevechia, Italy where the ship docked for the last time. We had to leave the ship and ride a bus back to Rome and head back to the United States. Now I love our country but I knew when I got back I would have to go back to work. Now my job is not a hard one but when you have been pampered, fed, and entertained for 11 days it is hard to get back in the groove of work, cleaning, doing laundry and cooking. I think I might need a few prayers. No I will need a lot of prayers!!!
I know this has been long and I left a lot out.
God is amazing and He created all the places we went. He is such a great and loving and caring God. But most of all He is a forgiving God. That is such a peaceful feeling. While we were on the ship we had our own "Sunday" worship service together in another country and it was still God's country!
Isn't God good!
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