Random Acts of Blogging - Photos and Stuff

I haven't been feeling very well this week, but I wanted to schedule a post for today, so I'm just giving you some random pictures to enjoy and a few verses that my sister-in-law in Australia posted this week.. :-)

I think this is stork's bill. These grow on our property.

These are blackfoot daisies, so called for the little "foot" that sticks out at the center of each petal. They have bloomed nicely this year around my dad's driveway.

Part of the vegetable garden in 2017. These are sweet potato starts. My dad's strength is much reduced this year so I don't know how much garden we'll have since he is our chief vegetable gardener on the property. The slats of wood and the PVC pipe frame in the background were to help hold up plastic or old tablecloths and blankets to protect the plants from late frosts. We can get them as late April here.

I think this may be spider wort. This photo was probably taken by my husband when we were on a visit to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

And here I am in the apron my mom gave to me for my birthday in April of 2017. It was the last thing that she sewed for me. I have it in my kitchen still. I have used it some, but I knew even then that it was probably the last, so I haven't worn it as much as I would have under different circumstances. It has musical notes and bluebirds on it. My sister-in-law helped her with the project and also made the quilt behind me (which belongs to my dad.) :-) Every piece in that quilt represents something from my dad's life in some way.

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1 Chronicles 29:10-13 ...Blessed be Thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and Thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of Thee, and Thou reignest over all; and in Thine hand is power and might; and in Thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name.

"Jesus Loves Me" for the Later Years

I apologize that I do not know who wrote this poem.

Jesus Loves Me!

For those over 50 or almost there.

Jesus loves me this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow;
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him.

(Chorus)

Yes, Jesus loves me;
Yes, Jesus loves me;
Yes, Jesus loves me,
The Bible tells me so.

Though my steps are oh, so slow;
With my hand in His I'll go,
On through life, let come what may,
He'll be there to lead the way.

(Chorus.)

Continue Reading.

Evening Song - A Shelter In the Time of Storm

Psalm 61:2-4 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. 

Isaiah 32:2 And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. 

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Count It Done - A Poem by Annie Johnson Flint

 

John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 

Count It Done

A father wrote to his son,
Who was faraway from home;
“I have sent you a beautiful gift,
It may be delayed, but ‘twill come; 

It is what you have wanted most,
And have asked for many days;”
And before the child received the gift
He voiced his thanks and praise. 

Our Father saith unto us:
“Your need shall be supplied;
Ask and receive that your joy be filled,
And My joy in you abide.” 

Shall we wait to thank till we see
The answer to every prayer?
Forbear to praise till we feel
The lifted pressure of care? 

Nay, let us trust His word
And know that the thing is done,
For His promise is just as sure
As a father’s to his son. 

Annie Johnson Flint

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Evening Song - My Father Planned It All

Psalm 37:23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

Psalm 139:1-6 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. 

Psalm 30:11-12 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. 

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The Thousand Word Project - Bright and Beautiful

 These are among my favorite photos and, although I've shared them before, I decided to share them again. :-)  This was the tulip bed of our neighbor in Tennessee years ago.

Red tulips. Taken near Kingston, Tenn.

Verses of Encouragement In Politically Troubled Times

 

There is speculation and concern as well as fearfulness and anxiety among many in the U.S. and in other countries these days for many reasons, especially political. For Christians it is good to remember who we are in Christ Jesus, Who it is that we belong to and Who it is that governs all things.

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Psalms 103:19  The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

1 Timothy 2:1-3  I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;  For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

Daniel 4:32 and 37  And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will…37  Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

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Matthew 10:29-31  Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Psalms 118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

Proverbs 29:25  The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

Romans 8:35-39  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Colossians 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Psalms 32:8-11  I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.  Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Psalms 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

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Edited. First published here in Nov. 2012

Evening Song - Nothing But Grace

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 

Titus 3:5-7 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

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Feel Good Friday - My Dad Remembers George Bennard

George Bennard

He wrote The Old Rugged Cross. He and his wife visited Emmanuel Mennonite Church of Downey, California in 1954, and they sang George's hymn, and then he preached the Gospel.

A fourth grade boy was sitting on the front row in awe. Just to think, that hymn I had sung so many times, and that nice old man wrote it. I was only a kid, but I still remember the moment, a rare epiphany for a young boy. My Dad took their picture, which you find [at right].

Many years later, the boy was a man and married, and he and his wife were on deputation speaking about their going to Ethiopia as missionaries. The church was Granville Bible Church in Michigan, just west of Grand Rapids.

After speaking in the evening service, Pastor Boger found me, and he had a very old frail lady in tow. He said she was the wife of George Bennard, and my jaw dropped. I had seen her back in fourth grade, and she showed the effects of over 90 years of her journey. George Bennard had died in 1958. She said she was so pleased to know we were going to the mission field, and she handed me a twenty dollar bill.

That was possibly the most precious gift I had every received. Some day, I will see them both in The Glory again, and we will sing The Old Rugged Cross for the Savior who died on that cross.

In one person's life, there are rare events that are beyond price. They are special moments God gives us that we never forget. They are given to us to fire our imagination, light the fire of passion, and send us on down the road feeling like God has been planning things so well for us. Do not let go of any of those moments. They are eternal, and all the actors will be there around the throne to welcome us to the eternal gathering in Heaven with our Lord.

- by Stephen Van Nattan

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Ephesians 5:18-19 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Hebrews 11:4 ...he being dead yet speaketh.

Thoughts for Resurrection Sunday

Dear Friend,

A lot of thoughts come to mind as we remember the greatest day in history - the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. I'm not sure I can get them out in an orderly manner, but I'll make an effort.

There are a lot of new faces in heaven this year. So many people passed away since the beginning of 2020. I have lost count of the deaths that have touched us or people we know or care about. It's a crazy high number from my limited experience. Over a dozen, probably pushing more towards twenty. Of course, my mother was one of them. Most of these people we know about were born again, so they are in heaven now, and I just wonder how that seemed. Did the people there notice an influx of new arrivals? Or was it not more than usual? How do they respond to all the new people arriving - especially if they knew them or were even related on earth? It kind of boggles my earth-bound mind. The one thing I do know is that these events were precious to God. Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. He was very happy to have them safely Home with Him, and there's something both moving and comforting about that.

Continue reading.

Evening Song - We Saw Thee Not But We Believe

John 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. 

John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 

1 Peter 1:18-21 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 

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Evening Song - Deep, Deep Love

Ephesians 3:17-19 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Romans 8:31-39 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 

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