In Your Heart, Ponder

Hello my precious friends!

I would like to extend Christmas blessings

to those of you that have followed along so faithfully

 from the beginning of my blog,

and to those of you who are new friends welcome!

 Thank you for your sweet visits and becoming
a graceful follower.
We have a beautiful community in our world of blogging,
and each one of you have become dear
and precious to my heart.
Merry Christmas and may the New Year bring you
closer to our Saviors heart as He draws us
unto Himself  for that sweet, sweet fellowship
in our relationship with Him.

Over the past few weeks I have found myself
thinking on Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Jesus, the Savior of the world...
My Precious Lord and Savior.
You can read about the birth of Jesus in (Luke 2:1-21)
but it is verse 19 that causes me to think on Mary.
"But Mary kept (treasured) all these things
and pondered them in her heart."
As a mother myself, I can't help but think of what it was like for Mary...
So young and yet a willing servant, obediently saying yes to God.
Becoming impregnated and yet not married,
can't you just hear the tongues wagging
among the village people?
How she must have felt
 knowing she was carrying the God Child within her womb.

Having to travel on the back of a donkey
during the last stages of her pregnancy,
I can't imagine the discomfort she endured.
Giving birth in a stable because there was no room in the Inn.
Being surrounded by the shepherds, wise men and angels.
Glory in the Highest!
No wonder Mary "pondered" all these things.

After Jesus was born, Mary finally had time to ponder on
all the events that resulted in her being a mother.
To ponder means "to reflect on, to consider carefully."
Mary took time to be quiet and think deeply
about what God had been doing in her life
and her body over the last nine months,
and maybe even since she was old enough to know God.
Certainly Mary thought about the wonder of it all.

With the New Year approaching quickly
and the old coming to a close
I have found myself pondering on my own life and
the experiences that have shaped my character and life.
How God brought me to Himself,
and the people God used to bless, teach and guide me
throughout the days of my life.
I have pondered on how God prepared me for
the trials I have faced
and how He has used those trials to bless me.
And I look within my own heart and ask myself the question;
'Am I fulfilling God's purpose in my life?'

I've pondered what it means to be a child of the King.
How thankful I am that I accepted the "Gift" of salvation
many years ago, and have purposed in my heart 
to live my life pleasing to the Lord,
though I have failed many times.
Praise God for His forgiveness, grace and mercy.
I have pondered on what God might want to change in my character.
Am I willing to allow Him to transform me
into the likeness of Himself to a greater degree,
 though it means skimming off the dross
so I may come forth as gold.
I've pondered my relationship with Him,
is it all that He desires for it to be?
I've pondered on my "spiritual bucket list."
What would I like to do in my remaining years for God's kingdom
and for His glory in the days ahead, should the Lord tarry?
Maybe God has a new door opening where I may serve him,
someone that I might pour my life into spiritually,
or come along side to help in time of need.
Oh there are so many needs out there.
Much to ponder on, that is for sure.


***~~~***

  My prayer is that we would all enter into the presence of the Lord
and not allow the noise and business
of this time of year (or all year for that matter) to drown out the Savior.
As we hear the glad tidings of the Christmas message,
may we each hold our hands out to receive
the Christ Child and ALL that He brings.
May the costly gift of Jesus fill all the longings
and desires of our hearts as we ponder on the years past
and look with eagerness to all that God has for our future days.


***~~~***

Heavenly Father, 
may we all look with anticipation, enthusiasm and hope
for the days ahead, that we might obediently say yes to
all that You desire of us, for Your kingdom and Your glory.
We love you Lord, and we lift our hearts to You
with all praise and glory, forever and ever.
Amen.

To God be all Glory!
~ Debbie ~ 

Christmas Ornament Exchange

Hello my lovely friends!
In my last post I shared with you
my heartfelt gratitude towards you as faithful followers
of "She Graces her Home in God's Beauty".
I want to tell each and every one of you
that your precious love filled comments
greatly blessed my heart.
The Lord used you and your comments 
in His own special way to touch my soul.
Thank you once again for your precious friendship!
I love you all!

I had the wonderful opportunity to join in on the fun over at Vicky's

for her third Christmas ornament exchange. 

With joy, I participated in her first exchange three years ago

and met two lovely ladies through the exchange. 
I wasn't able to make her second exchange
but was delighted that I could join in this time around.

I met Vicky before I first started blogging
through my dear Stephanie
and would visit her blog periodically
and came to just love her!
Vicky is quite the talented  lady.
She amazes me time after time with her great Thrifty finds 
and then showing us her delightful makeovers.

*~*~*~*

I was given Julie's name, from Julie's Lifestyle blog
 and had the most delightful time shopping for her.
Julie collects angels, and there is a wonderful little
shoppe in a town about an hour away from where I live
 that I just knew would have what I was looking for.
Here's a picture of what I sent Julie,
but please, stop in and visit her blog.

   

Donna over at Distressed Donna Down Home
graciously, and I mean graciously
gifted me with a box overflowing with vintage treasures.
Just look at all the beauty that poured out of the box.

 Some gorgeous vintage post cards

An angel ornament and mini brush Christmas trees with a darling little wooden star

 

 Look at these miniature hand crafted needle work ornaments, lovely!

Beautiful work went into crafting these precious treasures.

They will grace the miniature Christmas tree in our kitchen

quite beautifully.

 

I understand Donna is known for making these

pipe cleaner ornaments for many of her exchanges.

 

 Some beautiful dainty lace ( one of my loves )

and a plaque with the music ADESTE FIDELES printed on the back.

I'm going to have my daughter Stephanie

play it on her piano for me.

 

Thank you again Donna, for the lovely gift package
filled with so many lovely vintage treasures.

*~*

And a BIG thank you to Vicky
for your wonderful exchange that you so graciously put together
so that we have the opportunity of meeting
other ladies from around the globe.
God bless you!


Blessings to you in the beauty of this season
as we prepare our hearts for the 
birth of our Savior

Joy to you!
~ Debbie ~ 

I will be joining the party with Vicky at
Life on Willy Mae Lane 

f

My Heartfelt Gratitude ~

Hello my sweet and Dear friends!

God's Word tells us that we should give thanks always

and for all things.

With a heart over whelmed with gratitude, 

I want to extend my thanks for your

love, care, concern and prayers

over these past few months.

Since blogging nearly a year and a half ago
 you have become some of my
 dearest and most treasured friends!
I have come to see that out there in this
big world of Blogging our community
is real and closely nit together.
You are real, sincere, genuine and lovely.
Time after time my heart has been blessed
by your words of encouragement,
your gifts of love that have been delivered
to my mail box unsuspectingly
as well as the comfort of knowing you are
in prayer on my behalf.
That is HUGE!
Precious!
There just isn't enough words I can say
to express how sincerely I love and appreciate you.
Some of you have realized that I have been slow
getting back into posting and visiting
since dad passed away, and I have. :(
I am waiting on the Lord...
I'm finding that is the best place to be while waiting.
From deep within my heart...
Thank you for your love!

Did you notice the beauty of the snow covered trees
so nicely placed on my header?
Well...when I first saw it, I gasped!
Winter is my most favorite season,
and snow covered trees just do something within my soul.
They are lovely...Breath taking...Gorgeous!


***~~~***

By the way ~ The photos I am using
in this post are what I see every morning
when I look out of the window
while lying on my back doing those delightful sit ups. :)
~ Having the privilege of looking at this beauty is a great incentive for working out ~

I wished I could say that those photos on my header were mine,
but I can't and I won't.
I wished I could say that it was ME that changed my blog header,
but I can't and I won't.
My dear Stephanie, who works behind the scenes
of my blog has once again graced
my place with the beauty of God's glorious handiwork.
It is an honor to give the credit where the credit is due.
Stephanie does a great job keeping my space here looking beautiful,
and without her I likely wouldn't be here blogging.
She is a Jewel, reflecting the beauty of Christ.
Thank you, Stephanie!

~ These are weeds that look like baskets holding the snow ~
I thought they were quite pretty

***~~~***

"That I may publish with the voice
of thanksgiving, and tell of
thy wondrous works."
(Psalm 26:7)
Thank you Heavenly Father, for the love of friends
that you grace us with from all over the world.
Your people...showing forth the love of Christ
in the lives of others, what joy!
Bless Your Holy Name.
Amen


Be Gracious!
~ Debbie ~

Let Us Declare His Praises

"Make a joyful shout to the Lord all ye lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing."

(Psalm 100:2)

Lately I have found myself coming into the presence

of the Lord with singing.

I was not gifted (as some) with the ability to sing,

but within my heart there sings a melody.

I have always loved singing to the Lord

and making a joyful noise ~

But these past few weeks it has been the desire 

of my heart to sing unto the Lord rather than speak

the words of my heart during my quiet time of worship.

With this different way of meeting with my Savior,

I have found a greater sense of thankfulness

that is overflowing from within my heart.

There is a nearness to my God that seems to wrap

an awareness of His gentle love around me.

God's presence is real..."I am the sheep of His pasture,

and His love and mercy is everlasting."

That is praiseworthy! 

"Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."

(Psalm 100:4)

Oh... that is the sincerest desire of my heart.

A heart of thanksgiving certainly draws one closer to God, doesn't it?

We have so much to be thankful for,

and the Psalms are a beautiful expression

of overflowing thankfulness to God.

This time of year and every day of the year

should bring us to the place of allowing the Spirit

of God to cultivate in us a heart of praise 

and thanksgiving for all that He has done.

Psalm 103 is another great Psalm of Praise.

In verses 20-22 even the heavens and the earth

sing His praises because of the good things that he has done.

We should do no less.

**~~**

I would encourage you to;

"Bless the Lord O my soul,

and forget not all His benefits."

(Psalm 103:2)

Our praise journals should be overflowing as we call to mind

the great things He has worked on our behalf.

Praise His Holy Name!

**~~**

Today I am reminded of God's grace, mercy, love

and goodness in all things, yes, in all things.

On November 25th we, as a family would celebrate

my dear and precious dads birthday.

He would have been 79 years old today.

Our Thanksgiving celebrations

were many times centered around his birthday

as it often fell on Thanksgiving day.

This year we as a family will experience our 1st

with out his presence.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!
WE LOVE AND MISS YOU!

Through the tears of heartache as we miss this great man

we can still sing praises from our hearts

with a grateful spirit because of God's goodness. 

 As I was reading Psalm 103 and giving praise

to my Holy God for His many benefits,

I was struck with a greater sense of gratitude for where

my dad will be spending his birthday this year,

in the presence of God.

O bless His name!

**~~**

 You see...God "heals all our diseases." (Verse 3b)

God is the ultimate healer of our illnesses.

While here on this earth dad lived with Polio

from the age of two and a half,

a disease that crippled him and brought decay.

In his later years heart disease over took him,

to the point of ending his life.

 In May of this year God called my dad home,

and according to the first part of verse 3 in Psalm 103

it is the foundation for my praise.

"Who forgives all your iniquities."

At the cross our greatest problem was dealt with

by God Himself, our sin problem.

My dad is celebrating his salvation through Christ

in the presence of his Holy and Righteous Savior,

as redeemed and healed both from his earthly diseases

and his spiritual disease.

God was faithful and forgave dads iniquities

when dad called upon the Lord for his salvation.

"For whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved."

(Romans 10:13)

That is what I celebrate today!

With a heart full of praise (and tears as I miss dad)

I will sing out to the Lord with a heart of gratitude

because I know dad is with his Savior celebrating

with a new and healed body.

That puts joy in my heart,

where in this world we endure much heartache.

"O give thanks to the Lord!

Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;

Talk of all His wondrous works!

Glory in His name;

Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord."

(Psalm 105:1-3)

Amen

Let this be our prayer    

Be Thankful

~ Debbie ~ 

I will be sharing with Stephanie's party at
Roses of Inspiration 

The Enchanting Rose Tea Cup and Mug Exchange

When we sow bountifully and bless others

we will also reap bountifully

in this life of  friendships.

Every good and perfect gift is from above,

may we rejoice in the goodness

of the greatest Gift-Giver of all

and in the gifts of friendship

we have been given.

****

The Lord loves a cheerful giver,

so why not give yourself away generously

and joyfully to others.

That is the blessing of  Stephanie's 

Tea Cup and Mug exchanges.

Through her exchanges we have the wonderful opportunity

of reaching out to others in love.

****

This exchange was just that for me,

reaching out in love.

I was blessed with the opportunity

to send a tea cup to two lovely ladies

and a mug to another lovely lady

due to some unfortunate circumstances in the exchange.

But with God, all things work together for good.

****

I had the joy of packaging up this lovely gift for

Cathy  who has the cutest little blog.

Please take time to stop in and visit with her
and read about her darling little "Minnie"

 

I also had the joy of shopping for this dear 

and new friend in Christ, Karen.
I believe Karen was sent from the Lord,
and as I packaged her gift together
I couldn't help but pray for her, though I didn't know her as of yet.

Karen was so gracious with her beautiful gift to me.

Everything was so thought out

with the beautiful color of purple.
Her choice of tea cup was quite unique
with the prettiest dainty flower.
Karen and I seem to have many similarities

and I look forward to enjoying a friendship with her.

She has a sweet spirit and much love for the Lord.

I am not a mug person, so I do not usually do the  mug part,

but again, I had the opportunity

to package up a lovely gift for Hope.

As I walked through one of my favorite shops in town,

I prayed for the Lord to show me just what

this precious one should have.

The Lord tugged at my heart to create

a Christmas theme,

 after all, Christmas is just around the corner.  :)

I had more fun putting this love gift together.

Michele  over at Finch Rest
graced me with the most delightful package.
She was so sweet and generous with her love gift.
One of the items that she shared with me
was a book from her very own collection,
"Love from the heart of the home" by Susan Branch
It's a keepsake book, and I will certainly treasure it. 
Isn't this the most beautiful and feminine arrangement
with all it's pink and lace?

Michele and I have already enjoyed sweet fellowship
with one another. 
I can tell already that I am going to enjoy her friendship.
I believe the Lord makes no mistakes.
Through Stephanie and her exchanges
I have been blessed with many precious friends.
Stephanie so beautifully places us ladies together
with the guiding direction of the Lord, and through prayer,
and you can see that as you hear of the friendships that are made.
As her mother, I have the privilege of hearing some of the
beautiful stories she has shared
of friendships made all across the globe.

Thank you dear Stephanie, 
for all the hard work, effort and love that you pour into
your beautiful exchanges
so that we might be blessed.

****

Jesus is the "light of the world"
and He calls us to walk as children of light ~
to allow His light to shine in us
and through us to one another.
The warm rays of love, generosity,
cheerfulness, honesty, sharing and caring
kindle the spark of life and blessing
in the heart of true friendship
May we reflect the light of heaven in our world
through our life so that others will see Jesus.


Be Gracious
~ Debbie ~

I will be joining Stephanie's party over at
The Enchanting Rose