Simple Pleasures!

It's much prettier in person! ;o)

"You Are Loved"

What a beautiful song...

Ornament Sharing Friday!

Here's our lovely red beauty!

Reflective Day...

What a reflective day of depth I have had.

I'm not sure Josh Groban's personal meaning behind the song "Remember When It Rained," but I know when I hear it I think, feel, hear, and see "God."

Long ago God's grace did rain down on me;
I heard Him call my name,
but in the darkness of this world I remain,
unable to avoid all pain.
(D. Kirby, 2010)

Do you feel this way too some times? A craving to breathe fresh, non-toxic air that fresh 'Rain' brings?

As I have listened to this song today, it reminds me to be thankful for His purifying water that brings hope. Yes, in His water I will remain -- so very thankful His water never drys up...

"Remember When It Rained"
(Josh Groban)

Wash away the thoughts inside
that keep my mind away from You.
No more love and no more pride.
The thoughts are all I have to do.

Remember when it rained,
felt the ground and looked up high
and called Your name.
Remember when it rained.
In the darkness I remain.

Tears of hope run down my skin,
Tears for You that will not dry.
They magnify the One within,
let the outside slowly die.

Remember when it rained,
I felt the ground and looked up
high and called Your name.
Remember when it rained,
in the water I remain.

(Bridge)Running down(x7)



This afternoon it began to rain outside....
so precious is He!

And then there is this....
(makes me just sink deep into Papa's arms tonight
with a heart of utter thanksgiving for who HE is!)

Because of Him, I am a mountain dweller!
How about YOU?

"There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly,
but when You come I am filled with wonder,
sometimes I think I glimpse eternity."

So unbelievably fabulous is my God! When I Googled the above lyrics, THIS is the FIRST link that popped up. You must check it out. If you have followed me at all for very long, you know God speaks to me in "tree." Oh how I love Him!

Giving thanks tonight for a God who intimately cares for and loves me....

I hope you know Him too!

Deborah

Meet the Triplets

Today was just delightful! I spent the day with my daughter going wherever the wind blew us. Tonight as I reflect on the blessings of today I thought I would share some "additions" to our family that we picked up today along the way....

I ask you, "Who could resist those eyes?" :o)

Totally precious.... the children just love them!

Simple pleasures; simple joys!

Isaiah 41:10

This morning I read something I have never read before. Well, I need to rephrase that. I have read the verse more than a hundred times in my lifetime and memorized it, but not the translation I read this morning.

Here's how I memorized it:

Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you,
for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Now here is how it is in the Amplified:

Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you;
do not look around you in terror and be dismayed,
for I am your God.
I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties,
yes, I will help you;
yes, I will hold you up and retain you
with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.

The phrase "I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties" really stood out to me this morning. If you have read my book, I speak about the necessity to develop deep roots --- holding power -- so that during storms we stand strong and tall... immovable in Him. How special it is that as we rest and stay calm in God through the storms of life, HE strengthens and hardens us...upholds us and retains us!

Have you ever seen a toddler with say a splinter or a cut? They bounce all over the place while screaming their heads off. While attempting to help them, parents are often heard saying, "You need to stay still!" I don't know about you, but I don't want to be a toddler in God's family!

God's goal is to mature us past the "bouncing all over the place, screaming our heads off" place to the place of calmness, knowing He will help. As I often say, God sends the storms and controls the storms, so as to mature us - ever calling us to grow stronger and deeper in Him. We can't grow big and strong with deep roots without passing through the storm-trials of life. Let's consciously pass through them calmly, dedicated to growth!

How I hope you too find a depth in this verse perhaps you have never seen before. Perhaps it is a different phrase than the one that stood out to me. Whatever part stands out to you, meditate on it today.... and be grateful for who He is in our lives! Our ever present, wondrous God!

Time to hit the trail to exercise this morning!

Have a most blessed weekend, my siblings!
Deborah

Ornament Sharing Friday!

The Story of the Candy Cane

Many years ago a candy maker wanted to make a candy
that would symbolize the true meaning of Christmas -
Jesus.
The hard candy was shaped like a "J" to represent that Jesus is our rock of all ages.

The candy was made of white to stand
for the pureness of Jesus.
The red represents the blood
that Jesus shed to save us from our sins.

(Click for larger view)