Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Losing a friend...

One of my dear friends passed away last week. I was going to write a big blog post about her, but I don't think I can right now, it is still hard for me to think about her really being gone. I am still processing it. Since her funeral is today, I thought I would post the poem I wrote about her, Sharon. I will really miss her, she was like another mom in my life for a little while... (I cried just typing this...)

I lost a friend yesterday.
A dear, sweet lady, a mother,
grandmother, a mentor,
a diligent servant of God.

I remember all you taught me
about being a mother,
about crafting and decorating,
about just friendship.

I know you struggled
with health problems.
I know you struggled in
other ways too. But always
you had a smile.

I'll miss your caring,
kind, loving heart.
I'll miss knowing you were there,
just a phone call away.

It seems your life ended too soon.
But I know it is in God's timing.
So I will trust God.
I miss you, but find joy knowing
you are with Him.

I see you in Jesus' arms
free of pain, with a new body.
Goodbye, my friend.
I'll miss you, goodbye.


written by Jill Nadel 1/24/18
-----------------------------------------------------------
I found these Bible verses comforting...

1 Thessalonians 4:14-15
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 

Revelation 21:4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. 

Psalm 119:50
This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. 

Monday, January 15, 2018

"Bleed the Same" song

This is a newer song by the Christian artist Mandisa who happens to be black. She sings it with another Christian artist, TobyMac who is white. I love it because it has so many truths that we need to hear in our country. We need to hear that the color of our skin or gender doesn't matter, we all can love each other and need love. Everyone bleeds, the color of our blood is the same. It is the perfect song for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Our country needs LESS division and more love, the perfect love of Christ!



"Bleed The Same"
(feat. tobyMac, Kirk Franklin)

[Mandisa:]
We all bleed the same
We're more beautiful when we come together
We all bleed the same
So tell me why, tell me why
We're divided

[tobyMac:]
Woke up today
Another headline
Another innocent life is taken
In the name of hatred
So hard to take (hey!)
And if we think that it's all good
Then we're mistaken
'Cause my heart is breaking

[Mandisa:]
Are you left?
Are you right?
Pointing fingers, taking sides
When are we gonna realize?

We all bleed the same
We're more beautiful when we come together
We all bleed the same
So tell me why, tell me why
We're divided

If we're gonna fight
Let's fight for each other
If we're gonna shout
Let love be the cry
We all bleed the same
So tell me why, tell me why
We're divided

[Mandisa (tobyMac):]
Tell me, who are we
To judge someone
By the kind of clothes they're wearing
Or the color of their skin?
Are you black? (black)
Are you white? (white)
Aren't we all the same inside? (the same inside)
Father, open our eyes to see!

We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
We're more beautiful when we come together
We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
So tell me why, tell me why
We're divided
If we're gonna fight
Let's fight for each other (fight for each other!)
If we're gonna shout
Let love be the cry (be the cry!)
We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
So tell me why, tell me why
We're divided

[Kirk Franklin:]
Only love can drive out all the darkness
What are we fighting for?
We were made to carry one another
We were made for more, said...

[Kirk Franklin & Mandisa:]
Only love can drive out all the darkness
What are we fighting for?
We were made to carry one another
We were made for more!

[Mandisa (tobyMac):]
We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
We're more beautiful when we come together...
Let's stand united!
We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
So tell me why, tell me why
We're divided
If we're gonna fight
Let's fight for each other (fight for each other!)
If we're gonna shout
Let love be the cry (be the cry!)
We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
Bleed the same
Let's stand united (let's stand united)
Let's stand united!

[Kirk Franklin:]
So Father God, I pray
That our families will come together right now
And seek Your face
You will forgive our sins
And You will heal our incredible land
In the name of the only Savior, Jesus Christ
Amen
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can find the NEW video of this song here. (I like the sign language in the video!)



Psalm 27:8
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.

2 Chronicles 7:14
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Psalm 41:4
I said, “Have mercy on me, Lord; heal me, for I have sinned against you.”

Sunday, January 7, 2018

Christmas 2017 highlights

I've been meaning to post this for over a week, but I have been enjoying time to read, rest and relax. All three of my girls have been sick with the flu/ colds. We've stuck around the house a lot since New Year's. I'm glad we are on the mend!

We had another lovely Christmas this past year. We enjoyed time at home and with family in town. 
 I always love our Christmas tree, the photos never capture it's beauty. 
 A few days before Christmas, my hubby bought a new used car! He sold his 1973 VW Beetle, for many reasons. We hope this Honda Fit will be a great car for us! It's been dubbed "Nemo" already. 
 At the last house when we looked at Christmas lights, we could walk around. We had to get a picture of our Bethany Joy by the Joy sign.
 We went out to dinner early on Christmas Eve to a Chinese buffet! Nobody sang "Fa Ra Ra Ra..." though! 
 My son (on Cajon drum), my hubby and my daughter did a special music in church that evening.
 After church, we opened new pj's with cousin's help.
 Daddy got new pj's too!
 In the morning, Daddy got a new sweatshirt!

 Mallory loved her new Superhero dolls...
 Caleb loved his new pack of cubes... Rubik's 2 X 2, 3 X 3 and a pyramix! 
 Rebekah with her new scarf and sweaters...
 Bethany loved her new Polar Bear...
 Caleb got a Virtual Reality set from his friend, and another from his grandparents!
 The "Christmas carnage" as my hubby calls it...
 Grandpa and his new sweatshirt...
 The girls loved their new Hobbes from their Auntie...
 This was a common sight over the next few weeks...Caleb on his VR...
 Cousins!
 Mallory loved her new Roller coaster set from Grandma and Grandpa!
 Mallory opening a gift with/ for her cousin...

We are so thankful for our new gifts, but we are mostly thankful for our family, time spent together, and for our Savior who came to earth as a baby for us. God is so good! We do not deserve HIS gift of grace sent for each one of us. I will forever be thankful!

How was your Christmas? I'd love to hear all about it!

Romans 5:15
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!


Romans 5:17
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!


1 Peter 4:10
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

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