My wish for you

When I got to church Sunday morning, these three words were etched in the Snow along the sidewalk leading up to the church doors. 

Funny. We usually go to church on Saturday night. If we would have last weekend, I would have missed this in the dark. Or maybe the words hadn't been written in the snow yet.

In any case, I discovered these words when I did because that was part of God's wish for me.

My wish for you in the coming year is that you are granted peace, your heart is filled with hope and you are surrounded by love.

Post-Christmas Post

We all know what Mary and Joseph found in the manger on the first Christmas.

But what did I find this Christmas? 

In my woods, I found the perfect little Christmas tree. 

But I thought he looked perfect in the woods and wouldn't look so perfect in my living room. 

 In my living room, my husband had already put up and decorated the perfect Christmas tree. 

It maybe wouldn't be everyone's perfect tree, but it is perfect because it is in my very imperfect house. 

 Santa paid me a visit and brought me a treat. The only thing cuter than his treat is he himself. 

 I found a ridiculous amount of presents with my name on them. 

I may be spoiled, but I am blessed too. 

 Dino is spoiled too. But all he really wanted for Christmas was to be with his family, but he found this old bone in his toy box and that made him even happier.  

 And at the end of the day, when the sun had set, I found that the lights had come on like always.  

 I also found that I have a family who loves me as much as I love them. 

I pray you all were also blessed this Christmas and that you found what you were hoping for.
I pray you found Jesus in your heart. 

May God bless you in the coming year. 

Four Days Til Christmas

As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.”

They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed. Luke 2:15-18

The shepherds were used to staying up all night watching their sheep. But that doesn’t mean that they didn’t get tired and bored. The message from the angels had to have startled them wide awake. They were maybe even pleased to have a little excitement, a change of pace. Perhaps they looked at each other, shrugged and said, “We better check this out.” So they left their sheep to fend for themselves and headed into town.

When the shepherds saw the baby, they knew the angel was right; this wasn’t just any baby. This little boy was special and would grow up to save us all.

How did the sheepherders know, just by looking at this newborn, that He had come to save them? Had the angels’ message been that convincing? Perhaps. But more likely, the Holy Spirit came into their hearts and minds and showed them the truth.

Have you ever had a moment where things suddenly came clear to you? Maybe you were unsure of something, and without explanation, you suddenly understood? Perhaps God’s Holy Spirit revealed the truth to you. 

(From "The Christmas Story in 40 Days", published by Life Sentence Publishing, 2013)

From the Children's Christmas program at my church last night. 

Eleven Days Til Christmas

So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendent of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant. Luke 2:4-5

The people in Bible times placed much importance on their family line, and they were expected to return to their ancestors' hometowns for the census. Various characters throughout the Bible have whole lists written of their descendants. It would only make sense to them that if they were all going to be counted, they would go to the hometowns of their ancestors.

Looking on a map, Nazareth appears to be fairly close to Bethlehem, approximately ninety miles away. It would’ve taken them at least several days to walk that distance, especially with Mary being pregnant. We picture Mary riding a donkey with Joseph walking beside her. There’s no mention in the Bible, however, that she rode a donkey. Since they were relatively poor, it is possible that she walked right along with Joseph.

When we take a trip somewhere, we make plans. We study a map and pack our bags. Things were different in Jesus’ time. There was no GPS, no triple A, and no spacious SUV. The donkey might have been their only luxury. Maybe. If they had a donkey. Imagine taking a week-long trip without any of the comforts we are used to. Now, imagine being pregnant besides.

(From "The Christmas Story in 40 Days", published by Life Sentence Publishing, 2013)

A Christmas Photo Challenge

This month's challenge from the personal photo challenge blog is Christmas Scenes. Maybe not the most original theme for December, but certainly a fun one.

It was hard to pick just a few photos from my archives, but I finally whittled it down to these three.

This beautiful figurine was up at our church a few years ago. I remember asking someone where it came from, but I can't remember what the answer was. For me, it captures so much of the first of Christmas.

I took this at church the same year.

I know. I kind of changed gears in a hurry, didn't I? For many years the hubby has dressed up as Santa. He had some Santa-gigs for a few years, and when that dried up - well - I couldn't get him to stop growing that beard and donning the red suit. In this picture, I had to touch up his beard with white hair paint, but each year his beard has come in with more white. This year, I don't think it will need any help. I will share pictures after his big day. 

Isn't the expression on his face priceless? Or something? 

Decorating for Christmas Past

Over the weekend, I dragged the totes full of Christmas decorations upstairs. And that's all the further I got. I thought that maybe if I looked back over some of the pictures from past Christmases, I would get inspired to start decorating. Hasn't worked yet. I'm thinking more like I should just blow these pictures up and set them around the house! Think anyone would notice that the stuff isn't real? 

Peanuts all over the piano.

 Those animated snowmen from the Hallmark store. It is double-duty when I put them out, as I have to find batteries for them as well. 

 One shelf for penguins and one for snowglobes. 

And two whole shelves for the Snowmen. 

And this isn't even all of it. There is the wall full of stockings and the mantel for the real stockings. The random stuff I hang on the dining room wall. Don't even get me started on the tree - I hate the tree. And I totally forgot the table full of Nativities! 

I guess it will still be "bah-humbug" for a few more days. 

I will get it together by the 23rd. Promise. 

18 Days Til Christmas

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Luke 1:26-27

What do we know about Joseph and Mary? Tradition tells us that Mary was young, a teen-ager, possibly as young as fourteen. Joseph was older, maybe thirty years old or more. That was a common age spread for the time. We have a hard time putting that into our modern view of marriage. In addition, this was most likely an arranged marriage. Mary and Joseph probably knew each other through family ties, but they had never dated, as couples would today. They almost certainly hadn’t spent any time alone together.

But at that time, being engaged was the same as being married. It was a lifelong commitment which could only be legally broken by a divorce or death. The one difference between engagement and marriage at that time was that the couple was not yet living together.

How different marriage during biblical times seems to us. However, there are places in the world today where such traditions are still practiced.

If you are married, how long did you know your spouse before you were engaged? If you are single, how long do you think you should know someone before talking about marriage? And would any one of us not want to know our spouse until our wedding day? What does this tell us about God's definition of love compared with how the world views love?

(From "The Christmas Story in 40 Days", 
published by Life Sentence Publishing, 2013)

Psalm 136

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

His love endures forever.

2 Give thanks to the God of gods.

His love endures forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:

His love endures forever.

4 to him who alone does great wonders,

His love endures forever.

5 who by his understanding made the heavens,

His love endures forever.

6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,

His love endures forever.

7 who made the great lights—

His love endures forever.

8 the sun to govern the day,

His love endures forever.

9 the moon and stars to govern the night;

His love endures forever.

23 He remembered us in our low estate

His love endures forever.

24 and freed us from our enemies.

His love endures forever.

25 He gives food to every creature.

His love endures forever.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.

His love endures forever.

(New International Version)

For the month of November, I have been blogging about 30 things I am thankful for. Last time you joined me here, I was up to number 25. Each verse of beautiful Psalm 136 gives us ideas of more things we should be thankful for. Here are the five remaining things I’d like to give thanks for, all of which I have pulled from this chapter of the Bible.

Number 26 I am thankful there is One True God and that His goodness and mercy endures forever.

Number 27 I am thankful that my One True God has made the heavens and the earth. He made these for all mankind, for our survival and our enjoyment.

Number 28 I am thankful that my One True God has made the sun to shine down on this earth during the day, to keep us warm and to grow our plants. And I am thankful that He placed a moon and the stars in the nighttime sky, to guide us when we are lost and alone in the still darkness of the night.  

Number 29 I am thankful that my One True God has made food and drink to sustain us. I am thankful that He has granted me such a wealth of items to pick from, from healthy to decadent.

Number 30 I am thankful that my One True God sent His only begotten Son to die for my sins so that I will not suffer eternal death, but instead will one day join Him in my eternal home in paradise.

And so we head into the Christmas season. 25 days from now we celebrate the night the world welcomed this Savior. Give thanks for that event today and every day.   

Six More Things to Give Thanks For

It is the last week of November and I last posted the number 18 and 19 things which I am thankful for. That leaves me 11 things and since I have only been writing about this topic on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I better get going.

Number 20 – I am thankful that my parents took us on vacation every summer and that I got to see so much of our country.

Number 21 – I am thankful that back in 2005, God put it in my heart and in my head that I should travel to other countries. I am thankful that I had the chance to volunteer in Kenya twice and in Peru once.

Number 22 – I am thankful that the hubby gives in to my wanderlust, and that he even at times is willing to join me on my travels. I always have such a good time when he comes along.  

 Number 23 – I am thankful that God gave me such an active imagination. Sometimes, it gets me in trouble such as when I can’t stay focused or when I find humor in something very serious, but overall, the crazy things which pop into my head are the things which keep me going.

Number 24 – I’m thankful for my health. Hah! Have you seen me in the last three days? My back went out on Saturday morning and I have not been able to straighten up and at random times my back goes into spasms which drop me to my knees if I am not hanging onto something (so I try to always hang onto something coz I do not want to end up on the floor. “I’ve fallen down and I can’t get up.” I do not have Lifeline.). But at the beginning of the month, I wrote up a rough draft of things I am thankful for so I wouldn’t forget anything. I am still thankful that overall I am very healthy. When my back isn’t out, I can still walk, run, exercise, do crazy stuff my fifty-something year-old body maybe shouldn’t do. I don’t have high blood pressure, my cholesterol and blood sugar are excellent (hard to believe when you see what I eat). So I really can’t complain, but this did cause me to think of one more thing that I am thankful for.

 Number 25 – I am thankful for technology. Some of the technology out there is scary (please don’t ever let them put a micro-chip in you), and some of it is dumb (exactly why do kids text their friends who are in the same room with them). But a lot of technology is really improving our lives, even saving lives. Example: Over the last few days I have been so thankful for my Kindle. When I am lying flat on my back in bed on the heating pad, it is so much easier to hold a Kindle and keep my place when I drop it when I am trying to shift my position than to hold a book, which is heavier, really hard to hold open with one hand, harder to turn the pages with one hand and if I drop it, I don’t know what page I am on. I also gotta love my laptop today coz it is not painful at all to sit in my office chair with my fingers on the keyboard.  

(As a side note, I am thankful that I had all of these pictures already in the computer and that they all belong to me so I never have to worry about copyright infringement. Number 23 is very helpful. And by the way, that is a picture of cookie dough.)

Psalm 28

1 I pray to you, O Lord, my rock.

    Do not turn a deaf ear to me.

For if you are silent,

    I might as well give up and die.

2 Listen to my prayer for mercy

    as I cry out to you for help,

    as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.

3 Do not drag me away with the wicked—

    with those who do evil—

those who speak friendly words to their neighbors

    while planning evil in their hearts.

4 Give them the punishment they so richly deserve!

    Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness.

Pay them back for all their evil deeds!

    Give them a taste of what they have done to others.

5 They care nothing for what the Lord has done

    or for what his hands have made.

So he will tear them down,

    and they will never be rebuilt!

6 Praise the Lord!

    For he has heard my cry for mercy.

7 The Lord is my strength and shield.

    I trust him with all my heart.

He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.

    I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

8 The Lord gives his people strength.

    He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.

9 Save your people!

    Bless Israel, your special possession.

Lead them like a shepherd,

    and carry them in your arms forever.

(New Living Translation)

Sometimes there is just nothing more to say. 

Have a great week and a happy Thanksgiving. 

And praise God for all the blessings we have received. 

Thankful for puppies and kitties

I would be remiss if I didn’t share how thankful I am for the namesake of this blog.

Dino the Wonder Dog came into our lives in April 2007. We had lost Pepper and Shadow just three months before and at the time said to ourselves, as many dog owners do, we won’t get another dog. Isn’t it nice to not be tied down and have to worry about someone being home to let the dog out? Isn’t it nice to not have another mouth to feed, another critter to run up vet bills, another responsibility?

But that April things weren’t going so hot for the family. We spent the weekend in the hubby’s hometown and when he went for a walk one morning, he stopped at the humane society just a few blocks away. They had a few mixed breed dogs up for adoption and had just been told they would be getting St Bernard mix puppies soon. Maybe we wanted a puppy instead? (Or a pony, do you mean?)

One dog caught the hubby’s eye. They thought he was part Australian shepherd and was about six months old. He’d been abandoned with several other dogs, perhaps his brothers and sisters, and all of them had found homes. But no one had taken an interest in this dog for some reason, and one of the boys who volunteered there had nicknamed him Demon, because he was so wild.

The hubby walked back to the house and told me about the dog, said that we could return to the shelter later that afternoon if I wanted to see what they had. It was close to our daughter’s birthday, and she had been having a rough year. Maybe we should get her a dog.

My living room, the morning after Dino's first night with us.
 He spent that first night in his kennel and did this in the hour
after we let him out and went back to bed. 

We drove to the shelter that afternoon, and even though we looked at the other dogs, I knew this one was the one. Yes, he was a little wild, but that was just the pent-up energy from spending too many hours in a cage in a cement building. I wanted to take him home right then.

We had to fill out an application and they wanted to check our references. They would call us once all the paperwork was in order and we could pick him up then. It was a long weekend. I was off of work that week and willing to drive over to get him as soon as I got the call on Monday.

Since we already had cats with the names Fred, Pebbles, and Bam-Bam, it seemed we could stick with the Flintstone’s theme and name the new dog Dino.

I’ve been thankful for him ever since (ok, except maybe that first morning).

Let me just sneak the cats in here too, coz even though the brains in cats’ heads function on a totally different level from a dog’s, I still have to respect who they are. Coz if I don’t, they will retaliate.   

Here are the cats who have shared my adult life with me:

Keisha – October 1986 to February 2005

Pebbles – July 31, 1993 to January 28, 2008; Bam-Bam – July 31, 1993 to July 24, 2010

Fred – September 2004 to present

Barney – June 30, 2008 to March 20, 2009; Betty – June 30, 2008 to present

Alice – July 31, 2010 to present; Cheshire – July 31, 2010 to present

I’m thankful for the joy each of these cats have brought into my life.

And I should mention Muffins too. May 1991 to June 1995

Thankful for Family

Hard to believe that we are this far into November. I have been writing about what I am thankful for this month, and I better get serious about my list as I was only up to number 12 last time!

#13 Ok, since it is lucky thirteen, she will understand. I am thankful every day of my life that God sent my sister Pat to be my best friend for 39 years. But actually since she was here first, I guess I should be thankful that God sent me into my particular family when Pat was two and a half years old and totally ready to be a devoted big sister. Not a day passes that I don’t miss her, but I know we will be together again someday and I am just as thankful that I will have that opportunity to again be her baby sister.

#14 My other big sister, Judy. Because she is quite a bit older than me, I don’t remember her living with us. But I do remember her wedding, when I was six years old. I thought it was pretty cool. I’m thankful though that now that we are older, we have more things in common, and we can be friends in addition to being sisters.

#15 My brother Tom. I can’t tell you why I am thankful for him. Judy knows why, and my hubby too. Family secrets, don’t you just hate them? I can tell you that I am thankful that he has a family picnic every summer. It brings out the whole family, kids, grandkids and cousins. It is always a good time.

#16 My dad. What can I say about Dad? Too much to list here. I can’t believe he’s been gone 21 years!

 #17 My mom. Ok if I can’t think of anything quick and witty about Dad, I sure can’t come up with something about Mom. I’m thankful that I had two parents who managed to turn out four pretty decent kids. I can’t in all honesty say they were always there for us, but they were always there when we really needed them. I guess that’s what’s important.

Ok, whew, I got through the immediate family. What’s next? 

(Disclosure: Because there may be someone in my family with an aversion to having their picture taken, you only get to see pictures of those who are no longer with us.)

Psalm 26

1 Lord, you be the judge and prove that I have lived a pure life.

    I have depended on you, Lord, to keep me from falling.

2 Look closely at me, Lord, and test me.

    Judge my deepest thoughts and emotions.

3 I always remember your faithful love.

    I depend on your faithfulness.

4 I don’t run around with troublemakers.

    I have nothing to do with hypocrites.

5 I hate being around evil people.

    I refuse to join those gangs of crooks.

6 Lord, I wash my hands to make myself pure,

    so that I can come to your altar.

7 I sing a song to give you thanks,

    and I tell about all the wonderful things you have done.

8 Lord, I love the house where you live,

    the place where your glory is.

9 Lord, don’t treat me like one of those sinners.

    Don’t kill me with those murderers.

10 They are guilty of cheating people.

    They take bribes to do wrong.

11 But I am innocent,

    so be kind to me and save me.

12 I am safe from all danger

    as I stand here praising you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

(Easy-to-Read Version)

For the month of November I am sharing Psalms which contain the word thanks or thanksgiving. Psalm 26 is called a psalm of vindication, as David pleads his case before God. Yet David was as big a sinner as anyone, as you may recall from the whole Bethsheba story (2 Samuel 11).

But I don’t think we should read this Psalm thinking of these as David’s words. They should be our words. If we have committed any of these sins (or any other sins, of which we each have a long list), all we have to do is ask for God’s forgiveness and those sins are washed away. Then all that is left is for us to thank and praise God for His goodness.  

After you read 2 Samuel 11, you'll know why I thought of this picture, even though there is no one on this roof top. 

Running the gamut of thanks

The weather forecast for this past Monday morning through Tuesday night called for up to 20 inches of snow. By four p.m. Monday, when there was maybe four to six inches of new snow on the ground, and nothing seemed to be coming out of the sky, I thought that once again those weathermen were just pulling our leg.

February 29, 2012, 8:00 am, on the main drag of town

Then I woke up Tuesday morning and thought, “oh, nuts.” I haven’t been able to take many pictures of this new snow, but here is the blizzard of Leap Day 2012. This week’s snow wasn’t that bad but this is the kind of snowfall potential we can look forward to in the Northwoods.

For the month of November I am writing about the 30 things I am thankful for. Right now, I am thankful for snowblowers, snowplows, graders, tractors and anything else which moves the snow out of my way making it easier for me and all the people around me to get where they are going in a safe manner.

Found a picture of hubby snowblowing that day.

But that is only the ninth item on my list. I seem to be running behind as it is the 13^th of November already.

I am also thankful that I have a warm house to live in on these snowy days. I shouldn’t even mention this for fear of jinxing myself, but when we first moved into this house, it had an old oil burning furnace. Our first major investment was getting a new furnace, but that one never seemed to run right. For a couple of years, it felt as if I was calling the furnace repair guy a couple times each winter. I don’t remember what happened, but the furnace finally started working reliably and the house has stayed warm. Or it would stay warm if I wasn’t too cheap to turn the thermostat up past 66 degrees (that’s warm enough outside in the summer and besides, I am also thankful for sweatshirts and blankies. But I will stick with just the warm house as item number 10).

My house all snug in winter. And thankful for snow-rakes too.

I’m going to throw out to you two more things and call it a day. Number 11 would be the best well water anywhere. One of the reasons that hubby never wants to move is because he is afraid he will never find water this good. He’s probably right, but I would still like to at least try the water at other houses that have newer kitchens or – never mind, my kitchen is the only thing I would change about my house.

I digress. Last of all I am thankful today for where all that delicious water goes after we are done with it. We had to replace our septic in 2008. The yard looked like a mine-field a week before our daughter’s graduation party, but hey, once the new septic was in all was well. And I don’t have to worry about the waste backing up into my bathtub. (Have you been THERE? Yuck!)

The view outside my office window, with the septic cover visible on Sunday.

Oops, septic cover no longer visible Tuesday morning. 

Thankful for Freedom

Today is Veteran’s Day. As I write my 30 days of thanks this month, it is a no-brainer what I am thankful for today.

Since the Revolutionary War, tens of thousands of men and women have fought for our freedom, have fought so that we can retain our God-given rights, have fought so that we can sleep easy at night, can earn a decent living doing work that we enjoy, can spend leisure time with family and friends, can practice the religion we choose. I think of all the things we have in the United States the one thing we take most for granted is our freedoms.

Then I look at all the things going on in this world, the things happening right here at home, and I feel there are those who are deliberately trying to take our freedoms away from us. They are devious and cunning, they aren’t bold and in our faces. Instead they are insidious, silent, predatory. I don’t think they plan on waging the kind of war we are prepared for. Our Service men and women prepare for physical battle, with physical weapons, weapons that kill and maim bodies, not weapons that kill and maim souls.

And so, I’m thankful for what I have right now. I won’t take it for granted. I’ll try to be strong, try to defend my personal freedoms and the freedoms of those I love. I’ll support our troops in the battles that they wage, but the rest I will just have to turn over to God.

In the meantime, semper fi.

Last I must also share Ben's story one more time. Click here. 

I also want to tell you about a book two of our friends wrote, "Dear Laura" by Dave Baltes and Gordon Lovsletten. It is going on sale today here in Tomahawk, or you can send for a copy. Read the article in today's Tomahawk Leader. 

(which wasn't on line when I posted this, but keep checking.)  

Psalm 9

1 I will give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart.

    I will tell about all the miracles you have done.

2 I will find joy and be glad about you.

    I will make music to praise your name, O Most High.

3 When my enemies retreat, they will stumble and die in your presence.

4 You have defended my just cause:

    You sat down on your throne as a fair judge.

5         You condemned nations.

        You destroyed wicked people.

        You wiped out their names forever and ever.

6 The enemy is finished—in ruins forever.

    You have uprooted their cities.

        Even the memory of them has faded.

7 Yet, the Lord is enthroned forever.

    He has set up his throne for judgment.

8 He alone judges the world with righteousness.

    He judges its people fairly.

9 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,

    a stronghold in times of trouble.

10 Those who know your name trust you, O Lord,

    because you have never deserted those who seek your help.

Psalm 9:1-10 (GOD’S WORD Translation)

Looking at the world around us today, listening to the news, one wonders if God is still thumping our enemies like He used to. Maybe that is because we aren’t living out verse 10. I will continue to be thankful that God is in my personal life and will continue to pray that He keeps me and my loved ones safe from the wicked. 

Lest we forget the Holocaust 

Thankful for Trees

For the month of November I am blogging about all of the things I am thankful for. I hope that no one minds that today I am also blogging for A Personal Photo Challenge. Yes, I am multitasking.

The Photo Challenge for November was “Trees”. How can I not be thankful for the beautiful trees in my yard.

(I played with the colors on this one.)

I took all of these pictures one October morning with my Nikon Coolpix S8100. I must admit that I am thankful for this great little camera. Easy to use, small, and I have beat it up pretty bad over the years, even forgot it in my pocket when I went in wadding up to my waist in Lake Superior. I am pretty sure the instructions said not to submerse it. Then there was the day I blogged about here, yet it keeps working for me.