Friday, July 10, 2020

Praise God in the Storm and Count Trials as Joy

It is Fave Five Friday and I have so much to be thankful for in my storm and five is not a big enough number.  I wrote this the week after my husband went home to be with the lord.  I never published it so today I decided to put it on and update it for today. 

My husband of 47 years died this past April and the outpouring of love on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter has been overwhelming. Also in person and at my church.  My family and friends have keep me blessed all these months.  God's love has shown from every one to me and my family. 

1-5 (million) praises:

He rescued me from an abusive household at the age of 18 years.

He stuck with me and my boatloads of baggage and he loved me till the day he died.

He raised two wonderful son's with me and I see all of his amazing great qualities in them.

He was one of those people who could fix anything and he did.  He amazed me, our family and our friends with his mind and abilities.

He also could build anything. The pantry in my kitchen was made by him.

He was a loving, caring father and Husband and friend.

He was a great man of God. His Memorial can be seen by clicking here  I have been told it was unlike any other Memorial anyone has been to and that it was like a lesson.  Seeing his live has made them want to live their life better.  God is good is all I can say.  I hope it will bless your life if you watch as well.


Monday, April 20, 2020

A Life Well Lived.

One of my last pictures of my husband.  We took this in the car on the way to a "Walmart date" in the last month during the isolation.  On Tuesday past, he probably had a heart attack and he is with our Lord and Savior now.  The outpouring of love and blessing has been amazing and I have learned so many wonderful things about my beloved husband.  I miss him so and I know he is in my future where we will praise our God together with the multitude. 














Friday, April 10, 2020

Fridays Fave Five

Fave Five

I am so thrown off with the weeks of isolation that I keep forgetting to post.  But I am

1. Thankful for FFF because it makes me look at the good of each week.  Praise God He is so faithful that I truly have more than 5 things each week to be thankful for.

2. I am enjoying this time with my Husband.  At first I was kind of upset that our 46th wedding anniversary stay-cation had been stopped with this isolation.  But it has been so wonderful to be stuck in the house with my sweetie.  He walks 6 miles a day when he can, so I made him a mask.


3. I went on a date with my sweetie to WalMart.  No one can go in without a mask.


4. My oldest son who had the brain injury in December, bought a house and they have moved.  He needed help with cleaning and I went over to help.  We know we don't have the virus and they think they had it late last year when they were soooooo sick and I don't know if I have had it but I have lots of faith I won't get it.  So here is our no mask picture after cleaning out the rental they moved out of.  My son and my grandson...So handsome.




5.  Zoom is an amazing tool.  I got to zoom with my younger son and his family this week and say with my own voice Happy Birthday and look him in the eye at the same time.  I have had fellowship with two of my best friends this week and church meetings too.  It has been amazing seeing the person I am talking to.  Tomorrow I get to have another zoom meeting one with a ministry group I am involved in.  I can't wait.

There is so much more I could list here but there is just one additional bonus Fave I want to highlight.  I have had the blessing of calling a portion of our churches data base address book and 99 percent of those I called are doing fantastic.  I hope that is a comparable  percentage of the world too.  None had the virus but a few were scared of it.  I was honored and blessed to pray with them.

I hope your Good Friday and Easter is wonderful and if your Church is not on line please attend Good Friday and Easter services with the wonderful church I attend.  Go to rockchurch.com scroll down a bit and you can see when the services are and how long till the live viewing.

God bless you all as we remember what our Savior did for us.


Monday, April 6, 2020

Time To Sew

I have been doing some sewing since the quarantine. More so I have been watching YouTube videos of my favorite tutorials.  One thing that I have always wanted to make was a pressing board.


As you can see I finally made one.  I used two layers of batting and a vintage sheet.  Today I reworked an old table cloth I had made for a farm table I had years ago.  The table cloth was too big for the table I have now so I shortened it.  After the alteration I pressed it on this and It was so easy to use.  I know unless I am ironing my husbands shirts I will be using this pressing table for most of my ironing needs. I wish I had made this years ago. 

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Sunday Scripture


2 Chronicles 7:14 Living Bible (TLB)

14 then if my people will humble themselves and pray, and search for me, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear them from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land.
 I know this scripture is used a lot and it is hard, sometimes, to find meaning in something that has been used over and over.  But it is a timely verse for this season.  Click the link in the post before this one and hear a message that calls you to pray.  

Friday, April 3, 2020

Friday's Fave Five

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 https://susannesspace.blogspot.com/  Click this link to see the host and others who participate in Friday's Fave Five. 




This picture is of my dear friend Lucy who went to be with the Lord just a few days after Christmas.  In fact just a minute after learning my son was being air lifted to Loma Linda Hospital I received a call from one of the Reverends at our church telling me she has died.  

Why such a sad memory on a day when I am to tell my Fave Fives of the week?

1. Friends.  I love my friends (sisters in Jesus) so much and have a wonderful week of zoom meetings where I have had the blessing of talking to many of them.  I have had text messages, phone calls, and chats on Face Book.  The best thing is that we talk of Jesus and how present He has been in our lives during this time.  Lucy was a wonderful sister in the Lord and I thought of her a bit this week.  I talked with her daughter by text and we cried together.  I am glad she is not her for this.  I know she would be worried for her family as they have jobs in hospitals and in public.  Her husband had died earlier in the year and she was missing him so much.  No she is with Jesus where we all want to be and I am happy for no matter how much I mess her.

2. Technology.  Praise God for the knowledge that he gave those who invented it. 

3. God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit.  God has been so present with me and I am grateful for His love, comfort, and provision.

4.  Again God.  Everything that is being horded I already had in my home before all this started because I buy enough so that I don't have to go to the store for much more than milk and bread for months on end. 

5.  Health.  I was ill a few weeks ago and I still have a dry cough but I am well and enjoying my life even if I am a bit stir crazy for a few moments especially when I miss my family. 

Bonus:  My sister who I have not talked with in a very long time called me this week and we had a wonderful chat.  She and all her family are well.  I love her so much.  I was so thrilled to hear from her.

I pray you all are doing well and having wonderful times with the Lord and with what family you can be around.  Be safe and well.  God bless you all.

Sunday, March 29, 2020

Sunday Scripture

159 




Consider how I love Your precepts; Revive me, O Lord, according to Your loving kindness. The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous  judgments endures forever.

Psalm 119:159-160

I came across this verse in my personal time with God this week.  I had to study the word Precepts, not because I didn't understand it but because I wanted to know it better. Often when I am reading I see in God's word how He asks us to do things but He is the one who provides the understanding, the strength and the way to do what He asks. 

If I were to put this verse into my own words I would say "Lord I love how you show me how to understand your ways with your mind set. You give me life because of your loving kindness and everything about You is right and will last forever." 

It is a wonderful verse and if you meditate on it I think it will bring you wisdom and joy, as God's word so often does. God bless have a great week. 

Friday, March 27, 2020

Fave Five Friday's

Fave Five

It is Friday again and time for friday's fave five.

1. One of my best and most blessed friend's and I started doing an online devotion on The Bible App.  I am so enjoying the interaction and the spiritual stimulation in the word that it is bringing daily.

2. Both my husband and I, and our blood and church family are well.  I do have a good friend in Pennsylvania, who's brother, a Pastor, is sick with the Corona Virus.  Please keep Chris in your prayers.

3.  The sun has been out the past few days.

4.  I am saved.  God is my savior.  I just have to Praise Him for that now and again.

5.  Ps. 23:1 The Lord is my Shepard, I have all that I need.  This is so true.  I have not felt lack in anything since all this mess with the virus has started.  God is so good and he is always there for those who love Him and live life for Him.

God is so amazing.  If you don't know Him, know this:  You can.  If you go to THIS
 and you can learn how to know Him.

I hope you all are well and feeling loved.  If you have a prayer request please feel free to post it here.  I will go to my knees on your behalf.

Ephesians 6:23-24 Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

PS.  If you look at my list of books and Authors you will see I have added a book.  I don't know what I was thinking by not putting it there before. My son wrote a book several years ago for his children and published it.  It is Sarah's Silly Sock Day.  It would go great is someone's Easter basket.  Just saying. 

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Sunday Scripture

This scripture is how I feel about my salvation, about answered prayer to hard things, scary things, hurtful things, and this is how I think so many of us will feel when the Corona Virus has finally run it's course and we can all resume our lives.  We will be/ARE thankful that He has saved us in so many ways. 
Psalm 118 15-21
Songs of joy at the news of our rescue are sung in the homes of the godly. The strong arm of the Lord has done glorious things!  I shall not die but live to tell of all his deeds.  The Lord has punished me but not handed me over to death.
Open the gates of the Temple—I will go in and give him my thanks. Those gates are the way into the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there. O Lord, thank you so much for answering my prayer and saving me.

                                            Dana Point, Ca. 

Friday, March 20, 2020

Friday's Fave Five


 

I love Fridays when I get to post my favorite five things or blessings about the week.  There are always more than five so it is sometimes hard to pick. To see others who participate go to Living to Tell the Story and click on the respondents in the comments.  Many of them participate.

1. From last Friday night to yesterday I was sick.  It was a flu and a sinus infection, but thankfully not the flu. Yesterday I got to go to my son's new house.  We were outside most of the time so I was not having to stay a long way away from my grands and son. 

2.  Even though everything is shut down I am blessed to go to a church that has can post all services online.  I got to enjoy our Women Rock Bible Study online.  It was so good.

3.  I may have spent most of my vacation at home sick but I still have 4 more days that I can go do something now that I am feeling much, much better.

4.  I have some sewing to do and have been doing some.  I am trying things I haven't tried before.  I would show you the simple blanket I made but it turned out badly. I am sending it to the dog shelter or the thrift shop, but at least I tried it.  I will try again.

5. I am well and I am grateful to God that I am well and I am praying for the world to be well too.

Sunday, March 15, 2020

Sunday Scripture

Psalm 16:3 New King James Version (NKJV)

As for the saints who are on the earth,
“They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”

Friday, March 13, 2020

It is Friday and time for Fave Five

Fave Five

On Fridays we post 5 of our blessings for the week.
 It is hosted by Suzanne.


1.  My 46th anniversary was this week and I have done a lot of reflecting on my marriage.  It has been a wonderful life, growing up with my husband.  We went from hippies, who smoked dope to Grandparents who love the Lord Jesus.  It has been a great transition but I wouldn't change any of what God has done in our life.  I love my husband more today than when I married him. One of our anniversary blessings is that 13 years ago we were blessed with our oldest grandson.  I call him my best anniversary present. And, he is.

2. We went to the Huntington Library for our Anniversary outing.
Huntington Library view from the Tea House


One of the many Bonsai just before the Tea House. 



Once a month on Mondays they open the Japaneses Tea House for tours.  Only a few can go at a time and we just happened to be there at the correct time.  We had no idea they did these tours.  It was interesting learning the ins and outs of the Tea. It is very spiritual and while she made a point of saying the four main influences of the Tea she stressed that there was a 5th under-lying influence, Christianity.  I had felt God's presence even before she said it. The Huntington is one of my favorite places to visit and we never get to see the entire grounds in a day.  

3. Our first week of stay-cation has been very relaxing and fun.  We have gone to Palm Springs for lunch and thrift shopping, to see Dr. Doolittle and it was a fun, clean movie, and stayed at home several days just enjoying.  We are usually so busy that we don't get to just relax.  The rain and Corona virus, has made us a bit cautious to go out but otherwise we have had a great time so far. 

4.  The two things on everyone's mind in CA. at this moment are rain and the Corona Virus. God has bless California with a lot of rain. We need it. No one I know has the virus.  I praise God for both. 

5.  My oldest son got the keys to his house today.  It is a house that was built in 1939 and has an incredible view. I am very excited for him and I can't wait to see the inside.  They a lot of work to do for it to be in really good shape but they can do enough to move in and then work on the rest as they can.  God has blessed him so much and he continues to improve from his brain injury.  

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Sunday Scripture

Mammoth, California 2017

Our Compassionate High Priest

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (From The New King James and Biblegateway)

Friday, March 6, 2020

My Fave Five for the week.

Fave Five
On Fridays we post 5 of our blessings for the week.
 It is hosted by Suzanne at https://susannesspace.blogspot.com/ 

1. It has been a great week.  God has done some wonderful things in my life by helping me get over some things that I had not forgave for over 10 years.  Don't you know He is so patient and merciful? I feel relief to have finally truly given those hurts over to Him.

2.  I am on Stay-cation.  Each year during our Anniversary month we take a vacation.  Most years we go to a beach front cottage and enjoy the ocean sounds or up to Solvang and enjoy the tiny tourist town.  Sometimes, like this year, it is a daily pre-planned day out, a spur of the moment day out, or a relaxing day of doing things at home. For two weeks we just enjoy life.  Our usual busy life is a 5 day a week commute of driving 20 minutes to three quarters of an hour, depending on traffic, to volunteer and watch our grands.

3. Our tax returns came in this week so we are set with mad money. HA!

4.  It is raining next week but still the days have been longer and warmer.  I love this time of year.  I love the rain too.  A house we lived in when my kids were just toddlers had the most wonderful pine tree right next to the dinning room window.  When it rained the wet pine tree smelled so fragrant so I would open the window just so we could smell it and we would wear sweaters to keep warm.

5. I said in fave #2 that it is my Anniversary this coming week and I am happy to say that it has been 46 years.  We met midweek at Jr. College and had our first date the following Friday and have been together ever since. On our first date we went to see Westworld.  We have had a lot of ups and downs but we made it through with two wonderful sons who now have wonderful families.  We are hoping to be blessed by God with many more amazing years ahead.

I hope you have a very blessed week and that you too have 5 blessings from the past week to encourage yourself.

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Sunday Scripture



Isaiah 40:8 

The Passion Translation

But even though grass withers and the flower fades, 

the word of our God stands strong forever!


This past week has been nice.  We had some hints of spring here in Sunny California, which is always nice.  I also had some great times with God.  He has been showing me my heart.  Things I have there that I need to forgive. He has asked me to remember His testimonies.  He has shown me in His word where I need to give thanksgiving more. 

This verse above, which comes to mind often, came to mind today.  God's word, His promises, His testimonies, His guidance and His love all comes to us in His word.  His word that never changes.  His word that instructs, corrects and encourages, will be forever.  It is a comfort. All other comforts will be cast aside but God's word will always be. 

My prayer for you is that God's word will be your Comfort. Amen. 

Friday, February 28, 2020

I am not sure how to set the cookie thing SO just so you know this blog may use cookies. 

This is a view from a hill in Highland California.  Below this is the San Bernardino basin.  We have a saying at our church which is "The Inland Empire shall be saved." When I am on this hill and seeing this view that is the thought in my head and on my heart.

friday fave five 12 
On Friday's we post 5 of our blessing from the week.  It is hosted by Susanne at https://susannesspace.blogspot.com/


It has been a wonderful week:

1.  I am part of a ministry at church that meets on Tuesday nights. It helps us to overcome and truly forgive the terrible things that people can do to one another.  As a mentor I have not arrived, none of the mentors have arrived.  We all have hurts in our lives and we all at time have trouble truly forgiving.  This ministry helps through a process of getting with God, a journal, and homework questions that lead us to a place of true forgiveness.  We then write a letter, either giving or asking for forgiveness.  We don't send the letter we just write them and let the Holy Spirit work.  The results are truly supernatural God.  I have written two letters in the past two weeks and have seen from God some amazing results.  My changed heart for one, but also the changed heart of one of those to whom I wrote a letter, out of the blue asked me to forgive them for the very things I wrote about.  

2.  Today is my son's Birthday.  I am so grateful and thankful he is still with us and his brain is healing, his body is healing and he is here to celebrate.  Unfortunately he and all his family have the flu. They are vegetarian (actually mostly vegan) and usually well, when everyone around them is ill. But I think the stress of the past months since the accident have taken a toll and they all got the flu. But God is good and He will heal this too. 

3.  I am looking forward to my vacation next month with a lot of joyful anticipation.  More on that in the weeks ahead. 

4. Tonight is GNO (Girls night out) at church and it is always a good time of fellowship and the word and I am looking forward to it.  When we have GNO we don't have WR (Women Rock bible study) on Thursday morning so I got to stay home and sew. 

5. I am going to a retirement party today and I know it will be a fun time.  

Even though most of my 5 faves are about what is going on today It has been a great week thinking about those things coming today.  Also I have had a lot of fun working on some sewing projects.  I LOVE to sew and have decided to get off my duff and get busy doing it.  I will post picture in the weeks to come as I complete items. 

Sewing is a calming hobby for me and I am going to try different types of quilting.  I have boxes and boxes of material, much of it given to me.  I want to use it up and so I am making things I can take to a local Thrift shop run by people who have been on drugs and on the street and who now live in a home and are changing their life to live for Jesus.  The ministry is Set Free and there are many group homes here in So. CA.  I am excited because so far it looks as if I am going to have a nice outcome on several of the blankets I started on yesterday.  

I sure hope you have had a blessed week with much more than 5 favorite things about it. I was listening to Joyce Meyer and she said she studied the prayers of Paul.  She said Paul never asked that we be taken from our problems but that we go through them with Joy.  God asked us to praise Him in the storm.  So no matter how bad it has been just knowing God is enough.

Don't forget to check out the others who participate in Fave 5 Fridays. 

Friday, February 21, 2020



friday fave five 12 


On Fridays we post 5 things about the week that were a blessing. It is hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story

~~~

This one, Titus, will be 10 soon.  He and I spend Wednesday afternoons together. He does homework, get a snack and we watch Sponge Bob or Phineas and Ferb, then we cook dinner before the rest of the family comes home.   He is so smart and cooks like he is much older.

My Friday's Fave Five are:

#1. See above.  I love that boy and I am so glad he is not interested yet in after school clubs.  We get to spend the time I never got when he was a baby.  His Mom worked while the two older ones were between birth and 5 years.  I got to love on them for her, but with Titus she stayed home.  I feel very blessed to have this time with him now.

#2.  I had lunch with my son yesterday and he is doing so good.  God is healing him and he is now going to volunteer at the hospital.  This will reintroduce him to the work day so that in a month or so he can go back to his job.  He and his wife put a bid in on a lovely home not long before the accident and today they got confirmation that they will get the loan for the house.  We are all happy for them.  God is good.

#3. The week was not so cold.  It is hard to be in California in the cold.  We aren't used to it.  The sun shone a bit more and the white puffy clouds and blue sky were lovely at time this week.

#4.  The fabric cleaner smell in my car is nearly gone.  YIPPEEEEEEEE! Thank you Jesus!

#5.  I went to the doctor today.  I had my blood drawn last week and it was not good.  But my lovely doctor was kind and gracious.  She encouraged me and suggest so much that I can do to bring those numbers down.  In three months they will draw my blood again and we will see how I am doing.  I hope the report is a lot better.  I am sure going to seek God's blessed help to get there. 

Friday, February 14, 2020

Friday's Fave Five


Huntington Beach California, USA.  One of my favorite places in the world.  I have been going there since I was a small girl and last spring my husband and I got to stay there for 3 days.  This was taken about a mile north of the pier.

Please be aware that this post may use cookies.  I honestly don't know if it does or not and I am not techy so I have no idea how to check for that.

Also in the side bar is the link to Fave Five so please check out the other participants.

Friday's Fave Five.

1. Last week I had cleaned car seats and floor with a cleaner that left a very strong perfume smell.  Each time I got in the car after that, my nose would run, my eyes would water and I would feel terrible.  I am very allergic to perfume.  But this week the smell was much weaker and yesterday there was just a hint of the smell and my allergies were not so bad either but my nose and eyes did itch.  I am so thankful that the smell is going away and I am thankful that the cleaner did a good job on my floors and seats. 

2. My son suffered a head injury in December and was in the hospital for a month.  He has been home for a month and a half and when I saw him this week he was doing much better. He has a ways to go but Andrew Kabala was at our church and he went to hear him speak. God spoke to him to be patient, his healing is coming, and my son felt a warmth in his knee and the back of his head.  My son's neurologist told him to be patient too because he is doing way better than any patient they have had in a long time.  That's God! I am so thankful for my son's progress and God's watchful eye over him.

3. I am thankful for a text I got this past week from one of my grandson's that said "I love you and I miss you." I was so happy about that text that I arranged to pick him up before school and take him to breakfast.  It was a morning of wonderful conversation.  I do love that boy. Later that same day I went to pick up his cousins, as I do every Wednesday after school.  Only one of them was coming home that day.  The two older ones had after school clubs.  So that afternoon I got to spend time with my youngest grandson.  Both of these boys are handsome and interesting boys.  I am thankful to have one on one time with them.

4. I am thankful that the days are getting warmer.  It is still not warm enough for short sleeves and sandals but it is warm enough for sweaters, and to stand in the sunshine and soak up rays feels so good to the bones.

5. I am thankful that today I get to spend some time celebrating a good friend.  Her birthday was on January 31st but things kept happening so we never got to celebrate. Today we will celebrate and visit for a long while.

Friday, February 7, 2020

This is not a picture from today but today is just as lovely. 



Today I joined a group who post five blessing of the week every Friday.  I was so happy my tech-guru husband was here to help me post a button in the side bar.  I had no idea how to do it.

Now for the Fave Five post.  First to see others who have posted in Fave Five go to the sidebar button and it will take you to the host page.  At the bottom of the host page all who participate have made a comment.  You can click on them one at a time to see what they are thankful for this week.  Other commentors are there too.

1. I have been looking for Christian women, about my age, who blog.  I found them in November and have been checking out their blogs for a while and liking what I see. God answers prayers.  All can be found in the Fave Five link in the sidebar button of my home page.  These are some thankful women. 

2. I have been trying to think of ways to be more positive as I can get negative very easily.  This posting of 5 blessings for the week is going to be very helpful in my goal to be more positive. 

3.  I have determined to sew more this year and I have already sewn about 18 purse size tissue holders and given those away.  I loved hearing how excited the ladies were for the small gift.  I was not proud of myself but I was blessed that something so simple was a blessing to them. 

4. My schedule has changed and I am a bit over whelmed but I am adjusting and I look forward to getting it down pat.  I am pleased with the ministries I am involved in and glad to be there.  Last year I took a rest from a lot of things and added it all back this year as planned.  Now I have to get used to the pace again and I know I will because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

5. I am thankful for Fridays.  I have a bit of cleaning to do and then I plan to sew.  Later in the evening, when I watch TV, I will iron shirts for my husband, and all in all it will be a restful day.  I am always thankful for restful days.  I have this plan but I can change it at will.  That is what I love best about Fridays. 

Psalm 119:74 NKJ  Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.