Changes for 2020 ~

It was a cold frosty day as I walked along the creek
on our quiet mountain road.
I snapped these photos trying to capture the beauty
of the icy covered creek.

Why, even the willow branches were graced with ice crystal's.

A beautiful sight for sure!

Winter is my favorite season and I believe we can enjoy

it's beauty if we go through our days with a right heart attitude.

God's creation with all four season's is magnificent 

and each season has a purpose that unfolds amazing beauty
for our everyday enjoyment.
Thank you God!

"To every thing there is a season, 

and a time to every purpose

under the heaven."

~ Ecclesiastes 3:1 ~

There is One who keeps the world (and our lives) in order,

that is God.

He is the One who causes all things to happen in their "seasons"

and gives everything a "purpose".

I see the season's changing in my own life.

With much quiet time and prayer with the Lord,
and contemplating over a few of my own personal reasons 

I have come to the decision of not continuing with my Blog.

It will be a change for sure, but I believe God has a purpose 

for my stepping away ~ from the computer especially.

This month marks three months short of six years when I wrote my first post here

and it was such a huge step for me!
I sincerely believe that God directed me to Blogging 
and had a purpose for my life with this Blog, at that time for certain.

God has certainly been the center of each posting,

all 201 postings infact. 😊

Having this Blog has allowed me to share with so many of you

my love for Jesus and it has been pure joy!

I have met and made some wonderful friends establishing 

some very beautiful friendships that I pray will continue

outside of this Blogging community.

While I will not be posting, I will continue to leave my Blog live
allowing God to use the postings He has faithfully guided me to share
in the hearts of those who may visit here.

My prayer is that readers will be blessed as they visit.

I see God taking me in a different direction now

and while I'm one who tries to do it all, I just can't, and God knows I can't;

therefore His plans and His purpose for me, are changing.

Thank you, for faithfully following, visiting and connecting 

with me through your most delightful comments.

You have been awesome!

These last six years with my Blog have changed my life

in more ways than one, and ALL my praise goes to God!
"Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises 
unto our God; for it is pleasant 
and praise is comely {beautiful}."
While I'm looking to spend my time going down different avenues, 

you may very well see a visit from me from time to time as I know I'm going

to want to swing by and see not only YOU, but your beauty.

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ♡ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

Each season has a joy it brings and with it's own song it sings ~
Each season represents a new cycle of life
as a reminder of God's loving grace.
God is so good to us!
As we allow Him into our lives, He will guide us lovingly, 
step by step in the direction and down the paths 
He has precisely chosen for each and every one of us.
God's purpose and plan for our lives is always for our very best!
Thank you God, for Your love towards us!
❤

Joy!
Debbie

Glory to God in the Highest ~

Hello to you my dear and precious followers!

In the busyness of this season, the celebrations,

the shopping, the lights, the decorations, the parties

and all the glitter that comes with the season, I pray that you are

finding the time to reflect on the true joy, peace, hope

and love that the coming of the Christ child

makes possible for each and every one of us.

O to behold His glorious appearing!

~ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ~

O come, O come, Emmanuel 

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lowly exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

~ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ☆  ~♡ ~ ~

The hope of the world is a Savior.

On this Christmas Day find in your hearts time for Thanksgiving ~

"Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift."

{ 2 Corinthians 9:15 }

Christmas is a time for gifts...God's Christmas gift to you, is Eternal life.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord."

{ Romans 6:23 } 

  By faith...you can receive God's greatest gift...Eternal life 

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

~ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ~

"And she {Mary} brought forth her firstborn son,

and wrapped him in swaddling cloths,

and laid him in a manger; because there was no room

for them in the inn."

{ Luke 2:7 }

Jesus came to earth as a helpless, tiny seed planted 

in the womb if a young Jewish virgin.

Forty weeks later, Jesus was born in a filthy stable in Bethlehem.

It's the Christmas miracle ~

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father)

full of grace and truth."

{ John 1:14 }

Have you room in your heart for Jesus?

The very definition of our Lord is this:

"God is love { 1 John 4:8 }

" He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

~ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ~

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 

but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;

but that the world through him might be saved."

{ John 3: 16 -17 }

~ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ☆ ~ ♡ ~ ~

Merry Christmas!

For myself ~ I will be taking some time to reflect and enjoy Christmas.
This season is always my greatest time to reflect 
on the past year and quietly spend alone time with the Lord.
It's a special time for me.

I'll see you back here in the New Year.
Take care and God bless you richly.

"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you

through the knowledge of God,

and of Jesus our Lord"

Joy!

Debbie

Where O Where have I Been!

Tulips...my most favorite flower of all.

And the color of these which is an orange/red makes them so very pretty!

These tulips were what I would consider perfect,
 both in their color and in the length of time they graced my bedroom dresser.
Tulips...as we all know...do not last very long, but these were amazing!
I usually cut the stems as they continue to grow and begin to droop,
but not this time, instead I left them to themselves with plenty of space 
and each day they were more stunning than the day before.

I was in awe each day with their beauty.
As the stems grew longer and they drooped downwards 
it caused the flower to point directly at me as I stopped to enjoy their beauty;
oh I could see right into the center of the flower...gorgeous!
Maybe that's how we are to enjoy a tulip?
If you think about it, the center of a tulip is like a Kaleidoscope.
A tulip is short lived and fades quickly, sadly they are temporal.
But, the Word of God and His promises are Eternal.
"The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the Word of God stands forever.
~ Isaiah 40:8 ~
What matters in our lives is that we are following the leading of God's Word,
that we're on the right path, always eager to move forward,
willing to be transformed into the image of God,
day by day, moment by moment, by His Word.

It seems like Thanksgiving came and went so quickly. 
My husband and I were able to enjoy Thanksgiving 
and a few days with mom in Arizona.
Going away involves so much, but its always worth the effort.
We took both of our pets with us on this trip, Donatella and Binx our rabbit
and they were awesome travelers!
I made some mini mincemeat tarts for mom, her favorite.
They freeze well which makes them easy for traveling.

Before going away to Arizona we were blessed to have 
our three oldest grandsons with us for a few day's.
They all have birthdays a month apart this time of year,
so it has become a tradition to celebrate their birthdays together
during their Thanksgiving school break.
When it comes to entertaining and throwing a party, that's my niche,
so of course I went all out making it special and memorable for them.
Our boys are turning 12 ~ 14 ~ 16 and that's a BIG WOW!
They were just babies not too long ago...where did those years go?!
Sometimes its hard to believe that our 4 grandsons are in the double digits now.
I can remember when our first grandson was born,
I said to my daughter, 'what am I supposed to do with that?!
I grew up with 3 sisters and each of us had girls, so boys 
were all new to me.😉
Well...those grandsons have warmed their way right into my heart.

While we were in Arizona we took a drive through the
Saguaro National Park and this time through it was gorgeous!
This cactus looks so soft doesn't it, but don't be fooled, a cactus is a cactus.

 With a touch of snow on the high mountain tops, along with the rain they had
 we were able to see the river flowing as well as some water falls.
That was a first for me and I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty God afforded us.

Just a slow leisurely drive the day after Thanksgiving
added a beautiful touch to our time together.

 These are water droplets on a bush in the National Park
and it appears that the plant was meant to collect the water like this.
God's creation really is intricate, isn't it?

We had good traveling weather both directions missing snow storms 
both before going and returning home
allowing for some beautiful landscapes for our 14 hour drive each way.
The distant mountains in Utah were covered with fresh snow
on our way back home.
The red rock formation in front of the snow covered mountain
makes the white stand out even more so.
Just plain gorgeous!

These rock formations look like a painting, almost unreal.
Makes me think that they could be from another planet.

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

This was a long overdue post, so thank you for taking the time
for a long visit.
I trust your days are beautiful as you make your way into December?
I hope to enjoy decorating our home this week
and preparing for Christmas in celebration of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
I'll be around to visit with you and see what 
beauty you have to share.
God bless you!

Joy! 
Debbie

What Rolls off your Lipstick ?

For years now, my mornings in my private little "girlie" bathroom
have been my time to ponder.
What do I ponder on you might ask?
Just about everything ~ from my family to this world's happenings 
to the relationship I have with Jesus, (examining myself before God)
but always on God.
It's early...It's quiet...I'm all alone...And I know God meets me there.
Mornings spent in my little corner of our home
are directed in personal quiet talks with the Lord over so many things. 
This precious time is also used for my Scripture memory time, 
which allows for the beginning of the day to be focused on God, the One
who is greater than all the things which fill up my mind and heart.
As I finished off getting ready for the day ahead with a splash of lipstick
I had a thought and was reminded (from God I know) of certain Scripture verses
pertaining to my lips, my mouth, and what comes out of it.
As women, some of us like to pretty ourselves with a splash of lipstick

adding some color and sweetness to our lips.

But...what do we allow to roll off of those pretty little lips?

The Scriptures are very clear as to 

flattering with our lips.

♡♡♡

"He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets:

therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips."

~ Proverbs 20:19 ~

♡♡♡

"A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a 

faithful spirit concealeth the matter."

~ Proverbs 11:13 ~

♡♡♡

A talebearer is a gossip, someone who likes to talk about others.

It's as easy as sitting over a cuppa with friends,

sharing and having a wonderful time together 

when someones name comes up and before you realize it,
that sweet fellowship can lead to gossip.

At that moment, are we willing to honor God's Word

and be of a "faithful spirit" who honors God with our lips?
Or will we fall prey to evil and open our lips saying something we shouldn't have?
"He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life:
but he that openeth wide his lips
shall have destruction."
~ Proverbs 13:3 ~

♡♡♡
Oh Precious Jesus... as Your messengers, Your mouthpiece 
and Your ambassadors, may our lips be all that You want them to be ~
  encouraging, exhorting, edifying and uplifting.
Words really do matter.
They have the power to heal, to hurt, to love,
to hate, to change people and relationships.
♡♡♡
"Hear; for I will speak of excellent things;
and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
For my mouth shall speak truth; 
and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; 
there is nothing froward or perverse in them."
~ Proverbs 8:6-8 ~
♡♡♡
Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.

Heavenly Father, 
we know that out of the abundance of the heart
 the mouth speaks ~ for good or evil.
By the power of Your Holy Spirit 
and as we apply Biblical Truths to our lives
help us to place a guard upon our lips,
to be true and faithful with our speech
so as to give You all the praise and glory.

Be Lovely!
Debbie
❤

Thirsting for God ~

"As the deer pants for the water brooks,

so pants my soul for You, O God.

My soul thirsts for God,

for the living God."
❤
~ Psalm 42:1 &2a ~

"O God, thou art my God; early will I seek Thee:
my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee
in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is."
❤
  Psalm 63:1    

Water is the rich symbol of salvation, especially to people who
lived in the dry land of Palestine.
"Whosoever drinks of this water will thirst again,
[ reference to the Samaritan woman at the well ]
but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him
will never thirst.
But the water that I shall give him will become in him
a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
~ John 4:14 ~

☆ ♡ ☆ ♡ ☆ ♡ ☆

"In the last day, that great day of the feast,
Jesus stood and cried, saying 
If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
~ John 7:37-38 ~
Amen and Amen!

Joy!
Debbie
❤

Yes ~ God hears our Prayers

We have such a blessed assurance from the Scriptures 

that God hears and answers our prayers in His time.

We can have the confidence in knowing that as we turn 
to the One who gladly listens to us as we pour our hopes 
and fears our joys and concerns out in prayer,
those precious moments will bring us very near to the heart of God.

As I was reading John's birth announced to Zacharias

in the book of Luke chapter 1 certain words leaped off the page;
not that I had never read those words before, as I most certainly had,
but they spoke differently as God's Word does each time we read it;
Because it is the Living Word of God.

"But the angel said to him [Zacharias] 

"Do not be afraid Zacharias, for

Your prayer is heard;

and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you shall call his name John."

Chapters 1-3 are so exciting because they speak of

John's birth, Christ's birth announcement, Mary's visit to Elizabeth 

and the song of Mary.

But...it was those words "your prayer is heard"

that spoke so strongly to my heart this particular day.

The angel Gabriel, stood in the presence of God,

and was sent to bring Zacharias good tidings. WOW!

"But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself  him who is godly;

The Lord will hear when I call to Him."
~ Psalm 4:3 ~
Psalm 4 speaks of why we should pray ~
In God's infinite love and wisdom, God always knows
what to give us in answer to our prayers.
I think we can all attest to the fact that our prayers
do not always change our situation,
but they should always change us.
As we bring our anxieties to our all-wise, all-loving,
and all-sovereign God, we can be assured,
He is enough!
♡
Four years ago when my dad was undergoing triple bypass surgery 
I called upon many of you for prayer,
and you were faithful.
I knew that you were faithful in your prayers, because I could sense 
the presence of God in that time of great burden.
There was a peace that was unexplainable, 
a peace that passed all understanding for what was taking place.
One evening during those last days when dad would be with us
mom and I were ready to rest our weary heads upon our pillows 
when mom said to me ~
"Debbie, I'm exhausted... yet I do not believe I will be able to sleep"
Mom was worried...it wasn't looking good for dad.
I too was exhausted...
But ~
I knew that I could lay my weary head down and sleep peacefully
because you see, there had been people from all around the globe
praying for our situation throughout the day.
Now it was evening for us, but not for those across the world,
 we had prayer warriors who would be holding us up in prayer 
while we slept, because for them, it was daytime.
What an incredible peace that was to my soul!
We had prayer warriors around the clock,
it doesn't get any better than that!
I reassured mom with that very thought,
and she slept like a baby in the arms of a Loving Heavenly Father,
while our many prayer warriors covered her in prayer.
Did our situation change?
No, God took my dad to his heavenly home.
But ~
I know that I changed.
God hears our prayers and answers our prayers
in His time and according to His will.
How we would have loved for God to heal dad,
but that was not His will.

"Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me,
and I will listen to you.
And you will seek Me and find Me,
when you search for Me with all your heart."
~ Jeremiah 29:12 & 13 ~
The Lord would restore His people when they turned back to Him
and sought Him with all their hearts.
When we earnestly seek God anywhere and everywhere 
with our whole hearts, He will meet us at every crossroads 
of our lives, and through pain and victory 
with each step we take with Him, we will come to know
our God who hears and answers our prayers
in a very real and personal way.

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,
you will ask what you desire,
and it shall be done for you.
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit,
so you will be My disciples."
~ John 15: 7 & 8 ~
In our relationship with God, His words abide in us
and our branches abide in Him.
A natural outgrowth of that abiding relationship is prayer.
Chapter 15 goes on to say that Jesus wants 
the Christians joy to be full.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer
and supplication, with thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known to God;
and the peace of God, which passes all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
~ Philippians 4: 6 & 7 ~
When we take our anxieties to God in prayer,
we discover the peace of God.
We are also promised something better: the God of peace Himself,
His protection, presence, comfort, and encouragement.
God seeks our prayers.

"Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus
from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 
make you complete in every good work to do His will,
working in you what is well pleasing in His sight,
through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever."
Amen.

To God be the Glory!
Debbie


My photos were the last days of our spectacular colors
before the blanket of snow covered their glory

I Will Sing and Give Praise ~

"O God, my heart is steadfast;

I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

Awake, lute and harp!

I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples,

And I will sing praises to You among the nation's.

For Your mercy is great above the heavens, 

And Your truth reaches to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, 

And Your glory above all the earth."

~ Psalm 108 1-5 ~

O Lord, You are so worthy of our praise!

❤

Glory to God in the Highest!

Debbie

Sincerely from your heart ~ Rejoice

  Sincerely, from your heart rejoice in the Lord

and forget not His benefits throughout the year.

Our God is a Great God and deserves our heartfelt 

praise for all He does for us.

~ ~ ♡ ♡ ♡ ~ ~ ♡ ♡ ♡ ~ ~

"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice 
of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips,
giving thanks to His name."
~ Hebrews 13:15 ~

 In the Old Testament ~ Hosea 14:2 speaks of God's people 
offering Him "the sacrifices of [their] lips" 
in contrast to the animal sacrifices under the Old Covenant system.
As Christians we now offer sacrifices of praise and worship to God.
Whatever season awaits you outdoors where our loving God
has placed you ~ be it a gorgeous autumn afternoon ~ a day blanketed 
in beautiful white snow ~ a bright spring day ~ or a hot summer afternoon ~
everyday is a day of Thanksgiving.
Because those of us who love God, it is! 

"I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples.
And I will sing praises to You among the nation's."
~ Psalm 108:3 ~

"But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of Thanksgiving 
I will pay what I have vowed
Salvation is of the Lord."
~ Jonah 2:9 ~

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ~

"For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the humble with salvation.
Let the saints be joyful in glory;
Let them sing aloud on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth."
~ Psalm 149 4-8 ~

Heavenly Father, 
Give us a heart to rejoice always, pray continually 
and give thanks daily for Your goodness to us.
Amen and Amen.

Joy!
Debbie

The photos were taken last week when we received 7 1/2 inches of snow
 I have so enjoying my new camera
 capturing some of God's beauty close to home.
Friends, have a most glorious day and be blessed!

Our Glorious Fall Colors ~

Here in Colorado the colors have been magnificent this year!

Our spring was long with plenty of moisture 

and I believe because of that we are reaping the glorious

benefits now in the changing of colors 

as our aspen trees, grasses and shrubs show forth their beauty.

Our home is surrounded with glorious yellows, reds, oranges and green

with beauty at every turn.

As I step out of the house I can't help but sing the hymn Majesty;

There's glory at every turn and my praise

is to God and God alone!

Isn't His world glorious?!

Majesty, worship His majesty, 

Unto Jesus be all glory, honor, and praise.

Majesty, kingdom authority flow from His throne unto His own;

His anthem raise.

So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus,

Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus the King.

Majesty, worship his majesty;

Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all Kings.

The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty;

the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith

he hath girded himself: the world also is established, 

that it cannot be moved.

Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting. 

The floods have lifted up, O Lord,

the floods have lifted up their voice;

the floods lift up their waves.

The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters,

yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becomes thine house,

O Lord, forever.

~ Psalm 93:1-5 ~

The reason Aspen leaves change, like the leaves of any deciduous tree,

is because of a decrease in photosynthetic activity 

as the days get shorter in the fall.

The gold and yellow colors we see in autumn 

are always there; in the fall, they simply are revealed

when the green hues from chlorophyll production fade.

☆ Colorado State Forest Service  ☆

I've always said that the leaves on an Aspen tree clap their hands.

Well, flat rather than round stems allow the leaves to flutter 

making them sound as if they are clapping.

Plus, stems give leaves strength, 

allowing them to twist in the wind.

That is why the Aspen tree is so beautiful when the wind blows.

I pray that you are enjoying all he beauty and glory

that surrounds you.

God, in His greatness shows forth Himself everywhere we look,

don't miss out on the glories He has for you.

Take care my lovely friends and joy to you!

Be Lovely!

Debbie

Return from Arizona ~ Ladies Retreat

"Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God;

for it is pleasant; and praise is beautiful."

~ Psalm 147:1 ~

My heart is extremely full of praise and thanksgiving!

Thank you each and everyone who prayed for me 

as I traveled to and from Arizona.

I had also asked for prayer on behalf of mom as she 

had surgery on her hand and elbow, and with another praise, 
the surgery went very well and mom is doing great.

Mom can already feel the change from the nerve block

and is able to use her cane now with out severe pain.

I've had a song of praise in my heart now for the past few weeks as

God's goodness time and again, fills my heart with joy.

Arizona was HOT 🌵☀️

I'll never forget the day it was 109 degrees!

It was a great time regardless of the heat

and I was able to accomplish so much for mom.

I did some pruning on a few cactuses around mom's home

and found it quite different from the type of pruning here in Colorado.

Mom and I took a beautiful drive through the

Saguaro Desert National Park on a lovely Sunday afternoon.

You know...the more I visit Arizona, the more beautiful I find it.

Such beauty in each and every cactus, even this disfigured one.

The second day on my drive home I chose to take a scenic route 

and I was not disappointed!

My dad loved taking the back roads and I'm no different.

It was a perfect sunny day and it was as if I had the road all to myself.

Slow and peaceful is the best way to describe that drive.

Donatella and I stopped a number of times

and took a leisurely walk discovering new territory. 

Oh the new smells that Donatella enjoyed,

she was in her Hound dog glory! 🐾

As I came around a bend there was a herd of buffalo in the field
and what a magnificent sight!
This was quite an awesome ranch and well looked after.
The buffalo seemed quite at peace on those grounds near that pond.
I quickly turned the car around and sat by the roadside 
drinking in the beauty of this magnificent animal, God's creation.
When I left Arizona the temperatures were in the 90's and cooling down some.
I left behind warm sunny days and beautiful blooming foliage
and was greeted with the changing of colors in our Aspen trees.
One of the mountain passes I drove over had a few clumps of yellow
popping up announcing that Fall was arriving.
While I love and enjoy all the seasons, I have to be honest,
I am not ready for this next season quite yet.
 

"God is with you"
"If you have a heart willing to be changed
and a mind willing to be stretched, 
our God has something amazing planned for you.".

This was the theme for the ladies retreat 
with Liz Curtis Higgs in Pagosa Springs Colorado.
Three days after I returned home from Arizona, I repacked my suitcase
and headed for some quiet time alone
just me and God, and a whole lot of joy and laughter
with author/speaker Liz Curtis Higgs.
It was through a dear blogging friend and her giving heart
that I was introduced to Liz just after my knee surgery over a year ago.
Liz is a cancer survivor who has an infectious positive attitude, who is
full of joy laughter and a smile that warms your heart.
Being able to go to one of her speaking engagements 
has been a desire of mine since I first read her book
"31 Verses To Write On Your Heart".
Liz teaches the Word of God in a way that you understand it ~ word for word 
and in a way that is thought provoking for your own personal walk with the Lord.
 She's amazing!

~ Liz and myself at the retreat ~

I had the most wonderful time at this retreat!!
I left Pagosa Springs having met new friends and sisters in Christ
and a renewed and refreshed heart through the working of the Spirit.
Liz does not usually speak to small groups,
but God opened up that door for a unique purpose 
and I truly believe that it was God's appointment for my being there.
Three Bible characters Liz spoke of were, Sarah, Lea and Hagar,
and she shared how "God was with them".
God knew them, He knew their situations, their troubles pain and sorrow
and He met them right where they were and never left them.
God's love is enough, may we never forget that!
The joy of the Lord is our strength,
the strength of the Lord is our joy.

You know summer is coming to an end when these beauties arrive.
These happy little "weeds" line our highways 
as our Summer comes to a close.
I love seeing these as they show off their happy faces,
it's just knowing what follows... the end to another Summer season
that I dislike about their appearance.
I'm doing my best in making the rounds so I can visit with you,
but these last few weeks have not allowed for many visits.
I hope to catch up with you and the beauty you share 
with us throughout our blogging community.
Take care my friends and God be with you.
God is worthy of our praise!

Joy!
Debbie
💖

Writing Letters ~

Grandma Maxie with two of her sons ~ my precious dad is sitting next to grandma
Uncle Spike was instrumental in my salvation and my personal relationship with Jesus


 My mother was going through her things doing some more purging
when she came across some old hand written letters by
my Grandmother (dads mother).
She asked if I would like them and happily, I said yes!
Grandma always began her letters with ~ Good Morning,
 as she was an early riser and made her way out to her little 
"Rancho Chico" as soon as she was able.
Grandma loved the outdoors and played on her little ranch with delight.
I'm pretty sure I took after Grandma Maxie in that respect, why,
once the weather is warm I absolutely DO NOT want to be inside!
I believe Grandma knew that if she didn't write her letters 
first thing in the morning, then they would never be written.
Hand written letters are becoming a lost art, yet, 
I think we can all say that we enjoy a hand written letter
delivered to us in our mail box now and then, don't we?
I actually enjoy writing personal words to others either 
in a card or on pretty stationary, which is hard to find these days.

☆ ☆ ~ ♡ ♡ ~ ☆ ☆

In one of my daily Devotional readings the topic was on ~
"Writing Letters" 
quite fitting I thought as I had just received my Grandmother's letters.
2 Corinthians 3:2
"Ye are our epistle written in our hearts,
known and read of all men."
♡♡♡
The apostle Paul's words ~ "that those who follow Jesus
are "a letter from Christ," who were 
"written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God."
2 Corinthians 3:3
"Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the
epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink,
but with the Spirit of the living God;
not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."
♡♡♡
Paul encouraged the church in Corinth to keep on following 
the true and living God as he had previously taught. 
In doing so, he memorably described the believers as Christ's letter.
Their transformed lives were a more powerful witness to the 
Spirit's work than any written letter could be.
God's Spirit in us writes a story of grace and redemption!
It is our lives that are best witness to the truth of the Gospel,
for they speak volumes through our compassion,
service, gratitude, and joy.
What message might you send today?
Please know that as it states in John 17:3 ~ It is never too late
to enter into a personal relationship with God thru His Son, Jesus Christ.
Open your heart to Him!
"And this is the life eternal, that they might know thee
the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou has sent."

☆ ☆ ~ ♡ ♡ ~ ☆ ☆

The time has arrived for mom to return home, 
so Arizona, here we come!
I will be driving "Miss Daisy" back home
and staying in Arizona for a few weeks in order to
get mom and her home up and running after being away over the Summer.
Mom will have hand surgery while I'm with her
so I will be able to look after her needs.
Once again ~ may I ask for your prayers as we travel and for her surgery?
There is great peace in knowing others are in prayer with you
and I certainly covet your prayers. ♡

Joy!
Debbie