Monday, April 28, 2014

Words of Joy!

I wanted to share some pictures of the world God has created..... and some scriptures with them....












































Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you have been blessed by God's Word today. :)

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Thursday, April 24, 2014

Enjoying Flowers and Scripture

I wanted to share some pictures of the world God has created..... and some scriptures with them....












































Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you have been blessed by God's Word today. :)

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Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Lunar Eclipse- Red Moon

 Here in North America, we had a lunar eclipse last night. My husband and some of the children planned to get up during the night to watch. A great homeschool Science activity..... like a field trip...........right at home!

The planet Mars was also very visible. We were able to watch from our yard... in the city. We didn't get great pictures, but we had fun watching and taking pictures.
  I wasn't planning to get up, due to my adrenal and thyroid issues and the need for as much sleep as I can get, but I woke up anyway............ and I am so glad I did.

It was COLD..... below freezing.... and there we were with pajamas and a bathrobe....then we added a coat.... then a heated rice bag looped over then neck(Oh, that felt good!).
Rice Bags
Click the Rice Bags above (that is a link though it doesn't look like one) to see what I mean by rice bags.... and how to make them.

 Anyway, we all stood outside for quite a while, then went inside to warm up and back and forth. All of the family was out in our yard.... one son had a tripod set up and several of us used cameras....my husband had the binoculars and was passing them around.
 We had homemade oatmeal raisin cookies and hot cocoa....in the middle of the night! What a fun family time.

One son was only up for part of the time.... he said to show him pictures in the morning....he was going to bed!  :) He slept through the first hour or so until his iphone alerted him to a new email .... and the sound was SciFi.... I told him to be sure to turn it OFF tonight! I'm glad we were all up when that tone went off. :)   He stayed up with us for a while.......then went back to bed.

 The rest of us all went to bed after about 2 hours of being up........ my husband had been up for half an hour before the rest of us..... and then he had to get up to go to work today, while the rest of us slept in, so he'll be tired tonight. We rarely sleep in, but 2 hours of Science in the middle of the night convinced me. :)

 We warmed the rice bags back up and went to bed....... with an extra quilt. It's funny how the chill sets in AFTER being under the covers.  Brrrr. But after the chill wore off, the heat felt wonderful and all agreed that the sleep for the rest of the night was the best of the whole night.
 It was nice to have time together for appreciating the world God has made.........and it was also nice to make precious memories.

From what my husband said, we will have the opportunity to see a red moon again in the fall, then twice next year and then........ it won't happen again for 400 years. It was worth the lost sleep.


This world that God made is so wonderful.... so much to see and appreciate. I love helping my children to see and appreciate it from a Biblical viewpoint.


Thank you for visiting my blog.





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Monday, April 14, 2014

Searching For Happiness




    Searching For Happiness  

All around me I see… people, frantically chasing the elusive dream of “happiness”.
Their pasted-on smiles and hard, empty eyes reflect their determination to find it.
“I deserve to be happy!” they say as they rush to beat others to the prize.
And try foods, music, houses and spouses, hoping happiness is near.

Since happiness is hard to find, they press on faster still….
Maybe jobs, children, clothes, power or new spouses will satisfy..
But dashed hopes and grim resolve continue….along with building anger…
Leading to addictions, divorce and killing of babies that interfere.

Self-control isn’t for them… “We have rights!” they cry.
And the way is littered with broken marriages and children left to hurt….or die.
“These things didn’t work, but we can just throw them away and try again.”
They chant as the relentless search intensifies and faces harden more.

Disappointment and pain pursue, so a temporary distraction is needed.
Addictions like games, gambling, drugs and sex help to numb the pain.
Plastic smiles appear, soon gone as friendly addictions turn to cruelest masters.
“Nothing wrong with me!” they say as they stumble on again to find “happiness”.

Passing from childhood to adulthood and on, they seek a fountain of youth…
“More time!” they cry. “More time to find happiness, I need.”
Bucket lists are formed and worked through, but happiness remains elusive.
There is no peace to the wicked…. Comes to mind.

Fear and hopelessness grab me as I cry “That CAN’T be all there is to life!”
“Doesn’t ANYONE find happiness?” I anxiously fret.
Looking closer still, I see a few smiles here and there.
“Finally!”  I say with confidence, “Now the answer comes.”
 
The first small smile drew me and I expected to find nice clothes and jewels.
Yes, ‘tis a smile, I’m sure, though small it may be.
I have to know more and I am determined to see.
Shock hits me as I view the wheelchair and missing legs.

“WHAT?” I scream in horror, convinced the smile was fake.
Another one I see and look, again finding pain and loss.
Again and again, the smiles I see are companion to some grief.
I stumble through the masses looking….needing  to know.




One thing I notice in the midst of the “happiness-searchers”…
Those with the smiles don’t participate, but quiet they sit.
My mind cannot  comprehend, this makes NO sense.
Does loss and pain cause happiness? No, it cannot be.
  
Weary and looking still, I notice one more thing…
All who seem happy have no ME lists and instead, their eyes look up.
What’s up there? I wonder and look up to see.
But there is nothing  there that I can see.

Wait a minute!... Who are they talking to?... There’s no one there.
Maybe they are crazy and the smiles a sign of simpleness.
No, I decide, as I see tenderness, caring and love pour from one to another.
They have learned the answer and I really must know.

My study goes on with those who don’t frantically search…
The lost jobs and houses, illness and loss seem to drive them to talk more to…. no one.
I don’t get it…. maybe I never will… oh, wait….what is that book?
A Bible?  It can’t be… it’s outdated and wrong….  As everyone knows.

Contrasting the “happiness-searchers” with those quietly living their lives….
I feel quite certain something is just not evident to my eyes.
I listen closely to hear the talking. It sounds like “Thank you, God.”
WHAT? They THANK God? For what? I listen again…

They thank God for His love and blessings and peace.
WHAT blessings? I wonder as I stare at the scene.
Blessings like family, fellowship, houses and more, I hear…
As the thought comes… But they have so little compared to the rest.

Then, as I listen more, I realize the answer.
The search for happiness doesn’t lead to the prize.
Praising God and serving Him, odd though it may seem,
Lead to contentment and joy…which is more than happiness.

The scales fall from my eyes and clearly I can see.
The problem with searching for happiness is that it’s all about me.
The God I serve cannot be me…  I must serve Jesus Christ.
I do not understand His ways, but trust Him I will do.



My focus changed, my life on track… I need to learn much more.
Purposefully, I read the Bible as it changes my needy life.
Joy comes in the smallest things while eyes are turned to Christ.
This world is not the end, I see… more to come in heaven.

Sadly, I look at all those “happiness searchers”, their scales now evident to me.
Show them, Dear God… and I realize He has… as the rejection of Jesus continues through the land.
Telling others of Him, I see some scales fall away and I rejoice…
To be a part of learning to obey and helping others along.
  
So, if you search for happiness, it will never be found.
But search faithfully for Jesus in God’s Word,
And blessings you will find. Troubles yes, but so much more.
Remember if you want joy, don’t look for it… look at serving Christ.                    





Thank you for visiting my blog today.         



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Sunday, April 6, 2014

"Candy Bar" In A Bowl

Candy bars are just so............sweet.....sickeningly so, sometimes.  Yet, they also taste good.....sort of. Well, anyway, I like nuts....and chocolate. I do not like fake or sickening sweet chocolate, but I do like chocolate. A snack I have had on occasion is to put peanut butter on a knife *blush* and dip it into chocolate chips in my hand.....better than a candy bar for me.

Well, I accidently discovered something even better......

First of all, in a small dessert bowl, put a layer of chopped pecans.....


Next, add a layer of chocolate chips. 

Add a dollop of peanut butter and use a spoon (or a table knife)*blush* and put some peanut butter on, then dip it (smash it a bit) into the nuts and chips.






Then enjoy!!  Yum Yum.  Salty, nutty, a little sweet. Some protein along with the bit of sugar. Mmmm.
One very nice thing about this type of "candy bar" is that it is quite satisfying and doesn't require more and more to feel like it is enough. It is easy, not as bad for me as a candy bar.....and most of us have some of these ingredients in our home.

I have also tried slivered almonds and that is also good......any kind of nut would work well.  Another combination that I have really enjoyed is a small bowl with some walnuts and raisins....a wonderful snack and a great "pick me up".  I still get my sweet tooth satisfied, but not with a huge sugar rush. 

Have you ever made a "candy bar" in a bowl?  

Thank you for visiting my blog today. 


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