Dreams of 2015

We are nearing the end of 

2014.

We wonder what the New Year will bring.

How about this one.

By Confucius, And I quote:

The more man meditates upon good thoughts,

 the better will be his world,

and the world at large. 

How true, don't you think?

Imagine all the grief we would spare if you and I did meditate on 

good thoughts.

How about letting that  

be number one 

on our list. 

Now, the rest is up to you.

Let's keep the dreams fresh 

in our minds,

 and work at them,

 till they're accomplished. 

For God has placed a dream in every heart; 

yours included.

Keep remembering the one that meditates on good thoughts.

Have a great year, 2015!

Courage

 

 

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear- not absence of fear." 

- Mark Twain
What a wonderful quote.  

 

Jesus said in Luke's gospel; Chapter twelve and verse thirty two, 

 

"Fear not little flock".  

 

He didn't mean there wasn't any fear, 

he meant take heart, or take courage.

  

Like he said in Deuteronomy Chapter thirty-one, verse six, 

 

"Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid," 

 

and then saying,

 "He will not fail thee or forsake thee".  

Can you and I count on Him?  

 

The answer is YES!  

While things around us may not look good at the present, 

let's do as Mark Twain said, 

"Never be afraid, take courage".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Love

 

Who doesn’t love to think of Christmas?

The very thought brings a smile to most children’s faces.

Let’s think again of all Christmas really means. . .

 Joy, promise, peace, spirit,

and the spirit of Christmas is love.

Yes, love that brought our Savior, Lord Jesus Christ, as a wee boy born in Bethlehem,

 to be our Savior. Taking upon himself all of our guilt, our condemnation, all our sins, and in turn he gave us of himself.

I do, and don’t you, love that exchange?

Let’s become more loving and kind;

giving out and receiving this year that love he so lovingly gave us.

Merry Christmas!

Have a very bright and shining New Year!

For the Fallen

You don't choose your family.

They are God's gift to you;

 as you are to them.

Desmond Tutu (Winnipeg Free Press)

For the Fallen

     They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old: 

Age shall not weary them at the going down of the sun, 

and in the morning, we will remember them.

     In my husband's family, one of his brothers went to war as a stretcher bearer. He was strong, healthy, and had a good personality. Off to war he went. Never to return.

     In my family, because my father was a school teacher, and his brothers were doctors and the other was a judge, they stayed to their studies with no war time for them. They didn't choose their family.

     As I read this morning of God's provision for some of these men, of how they went to war, sending home love letters to their sweethearts while in the thows of great discomfort; I
tried to hold back the tears from my eyes.

    I couldn't imagine all they were going through. 
    In the long run, these men were God's gift to all of us.

   Imagine these ladies recieving a letter, a note, long or short. The excitement it must have given. What a gift!

     Let us truly remember them.

     Let's meditate on good thoughts.
     Thus giving back to them and our ongoing families a better world now and later.

    Lest we forget.

Happy Fathers' Day

Just think of all that God made,

 and when He made it, He said,

 "It was good." 

Genisis 1:25.

Then he said,

 "It was very good." 

Genisis 1:31.

God wanted to make a family, so He started off with Adam and Eve.

God continued wanting families right until the present,

 when He gave us our fathers.

Fathers are in the home supporting and encouraging the family.

I remember my dad;

 when he stuck up for me when I made my first cake.

 (By the way, baked in an old wood stove).

My dad said to my brothers, 

"You boys eat the cake." 

Sure glad he did make them eat it!

Now, I make a good cake that's not burnt.

You may say, "I don't like my dad; I wish he didn't do this or that, he's a big failure." 

Listen, don't worry about failure. 

The failing may be a learning experience,

if you could just spend a few moments praying for him.

Just think, he could change and be a much better person.

(Just like my chocolate cake.)

Happy Fathers' Day!

Keep Looking Up

        My daughter said to me the other day;

        'You can't appreciate what you have done until you move out of where you have been."

        That's so true.

        Just think of a child in grade one. Now he's on his way to grade two; and on up he goes, till he graduates. 
        Then he realizes how much he has accomplished and also where he has been.

        Now he can look back and see how far he has been.

        He may still have a ways to go, but as he looks back he'll be able to have the confidence in himself, knowing how far he has come. 

        And now looking up it won't seem to be as far as he thought it would be.

Keep looking up and let's keep growing in grace

 and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

2 Peter 3:18

Freedom to Enjoy

In our back yard we have a crabapple tree

 and an apple tree.

 And a dear little rabbit comes over 

and is nippling on one of our crabapple trees.

Now to me that's fine. 

'Okay', I say to myself.

 'Wait a moment; it is now chewing on a branch from our apple tree.

 This, I don't like, for I feel it will destroy the tree, 

but it is too cold to go out and chase it away.'

I wish you could see the sight --- 

the rabbit is actually on it's tip-it-tie toes 

reaching up and grabbing a little of the branch 

as he breaks it off and then settles in the bank of snow

 and continues to eat away.

Moments later, the rabbit is enjoying himself as the sun shines on him.

You may be thinking: is the rabbit that free from --- the cats and dogs etc.?

 I can see his nose is always smelling, yes, the neighbour's cat.

We too, in the spiritual world, have our enemy. 

As it says:

Ephesians 6:10, 11

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, 

and in the power of his might.

Putting on the whole armour of God, 

that we may be able to stand against the devil's schemes.

However,

 in the mean time,

 let's be like that dear little rabbit,

 enjoying ourselves.

This Easter

Rushing into the house with a big smile on her face, 

my three year old daughter brought me 

a big beautiful bouquet of flowers (dandelions.)

These dandelions that are considered by many just another weed.

This weed is, in fact, highly beneficial to mankind and of course the bees!

Look at the bees, they look after their young 

with their home-made honey; just pollen and their added love.

Spreading the pollen from flower to flower doing a job of pollinating them.

This we would call a volunteer in the community.

The word of God for those of us called Christians 

is a great source of energy and encouragement

 to all who read the word.

Let's all be a good witness for the one who willingly gave his life for us.

Taking our place on that cruel cross of Calvary.

Just think of this at this Easter time.

Yes, the flowers will appear on the earth;

 the time of the singing of the birds is come.

 The cold winter of 2014 is over.

Song of Solomon chapter 2 Verse 12.

Let us enjoy Spring. 

We all desire a break! 

Oh! I can see those dandelions in my front yard!

Never Give Up

"Have a  Championship day every day"

Even if you have been fired from your job there is still plenty of hope for you.

Never give up.

"Having that mentality of having a Championship day every day. At the end of the day, you want to play your best football and that is what we did today",
said Russell Wilsen, quarter back for Denver Broncos.

Now that was football --
 
I'm going to talk about serving God :

The Apostle Paul was going through adverse circumstances but never gave up.

Trial after trial -- one trial was that no man stood with him; and he said,

 "Not withstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me."

Telling us also in verse 17 of Second Timothy,

"The Lord delivered me out of the mouth of the lion."

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course.

I have kept the faith.

Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness

 which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, 

shall give me at that day : 

but not to me only, 

but unto all them also that love his appearing.

-Second Timothy 4:7,8

Did the Apostle Paul have a Championship day? Yes! Everyday!

You and I can have a Championship day as well.

Let's keep being like the Apostle by keeping our mind not on our troubles but on Him who loved us, and died for us.

Having as their mantra all season a Championship day everyday paid off handsomely for the Seattle Seahawks. They beat the fearsome Denver Broncos 43-8.

Jesus, our Friend

A photographer doesn't always need drama to have emotion.

The joy of sheer existence.

By D. Joses

How about you and me?

Do we need drama to make us feel good about ourselves?

Like D. Joses says, "It's the joy of sheer existence."

The fact that Christ resides in our hearts; now that's drama.

The fact that we are born in His image; that's good too. 

No other person looks exactly like you or me. 

Wow, that's good as well.

Let's make our own drama.

In Colossians we read:

Putting on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering;

 bearing one another and forgiving one another, 

if anyone had a complaint against another 

even if Christ forgave you, 

so you must also forgive. 

But above all these things, put on love 

which is the bond of perfection. 

Colossians 3:12-14

Serving our God.

Becoming strong individuals. 

What brings Success

If you love what you are doing you will be successful.

Albert Schweitzer says that you are the happiest 

when you are living out what you value.

Both make such great statements.

If you love what you are doing and what you are 

doing is of great value I believe you will be successful.

God will bring favor your way. 

Loving God and loving people always brings success.

This Day

Ralph Waldo Emerson says; and I quote :

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."

The bible says,

Psalm 118 : 24

This is the day which the Lord hath made.

 We will rejoice and be glad in it.

By writing it on our hearts 

this will remind us that 

each day is truly the best day 

of the year. 

Think of it that the God of the universe has made each and every day especially for us.

Now, that's something to think about. Even in these very cold days of January.

Reflectors

Mathew 5 verse 16 says,

Let your light so shine before men

 that they may see your good works

 and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

As I was watching my daughter taking some pictures

 using a reflector screen, this meditation came to me.

If a reflector screen can reflect the light onto the picture taken

 then tell me why would not your light shining from you

 reflect on to ones that are watching you?

The ones who are seeking for love

 and for someone who comes for them.

As a true reflector of His light,

 let us go into this New Year

 with letting our light shine!

What an excellent way to start 

2014!

By shining our light out there

 among the lost and the dying,

who are without

 true light.