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!

Around the Home ~

A cheery HELLO precious friends!

Thank you for taking time out of your own busy day for a visit.

I appreciate each and every one of you

and I always enjoy hearing from you.

~ ~ ☆ ~ ☆ ♡ ♡ ☆ ~ ☆ ~ ~

While we are enjoying the Fall season, which comes and goes so quickly,

winter will soon be knocking at our door here in the mountains 

and this is the time we finish off splitting and stacking 

our winter's supply of firewood.

We usually have 5 to 6 cords to see us through the winter and early Spring.

While we do have electric heating, the wood burner is our preference 

of heating for our home, it's warm and cozy.

Here's our stacked pile, nearly there, phew!
You can't really tell by this photo,
but there are four rows and more to come.

We stock the front deck making it easier to get on those blustery winter days.

That glow on the glass front door is from an Aspen tree in the yard,

isn't that spectacular?!

Our colors this year have been amazing, they really have been.
This is our humble home, much larger than it looks from the outside.
This home was built in the early 1900's, same structure with some remodeling.
We have been blessed abundantly!

This cute little guy is my backyard buddy,
he likes to sit on the brick ledge right beside me
when I am outside enjoying the sunshine.
He too, is getting ready for the winter
by hauling his pine cones to his home.
He, as well as others are quite busy right now
knocking the pine cones from the pine trees
and then hauling them off. These critters are in no way slothful.

 During these months there's something wonderful about pumpkin,

pumpkin anything as far as I'm concerned.

I could eat pumpkin right out of the can,
of course the real deal beats all. 
Why is it that pumpkin with spices tastes so much better this time of the year?

Pumpkin pie...yes please...and thank you!

My grandmother (dads mom) made the very best pumpkin pie.

Sure do miss her...

Lazy days here at home for my sweet Donatella,
come to think of it... 🤔 this is about what her days usually consist of
when we are not out for our daily walks.
Now don't you mind her tummy...its just the way she's laying.😉

Isn't she just precious?

I love that girl S-O-O-O-O much!

As much as I hate it, the motor home has to be winterized

and put away this time of the year.☹

We had a wonderful time in the Spring when we went to Canada,

and enjoyed my husband's side of the family.

We all parked our RVs together on my sister-in-laws beautiful property 

while we went through the things from my husband's parents estate.

It's hard to believe that this month marks one year since

my father-in-law went on to glory.

Donatella is doing her part while we winterize the motor home.🐾

I wanted to share some gorgeous flowers with you,
 flowers that always look their best in the Fall.
Wished I could say they were in my flower garden, but they are not.
Look at them just showing off their vibrant color!
It's funny, if my flowers get the frost in the Spring they never make it,
but for some reason the frost when it comes in the Fall
causes my flowers to flourish.
Sadly, they have to be pulled up and cut back 
in order to get the beds ready for winter;
Although, I do hold off as long as I possibly can as
it's a sad day when I have to put all the patio furniture away
and dig up those flowers that have given us such joy over the last few months.

Speaking of pulling up, my husband's little garden is finished.

He enjoys his little garden of potatoes and carrots.
The carrots are strictly for our rabbit Binx.
His potatoes didn't do well this year, he's thinking
it was due to the cold and snow we were getting late into Spring,
though he did reap nearly 30 pounds of potatoes.
Having a garden at our altitude isn't that good, but it's fun for him.

Awe...Cherry Delight.
Donatella and I took her out a number of times this Summer
and had some beautiful drives together.
I feel as though my dad is riding alongside of me 
and telling me stories of how Cherry Delight came to be his.
Dad had a great personality and easy to talk with,
there were no strangers in his life.
 Dad was a good man and an awesome father!
You can read all about Cherry Delight here.

After returning  home from Arizona I dug into the house
and did a major deep clean! 
I enjoy giving our home a good deep clean
both in the Spring and in the Fall.
Looks great! Smells great! Feels great!
While I'm on the subject of cleaning ~ I was pulling a book off
of the book shelf the other day when I came across a vintage magazine dated 1987
"Household Hints Almanac"
"The world's most useful guide to solving everyday problems"
It's been years since I had this little helpful magazine out.
I was reading it and you know, there's some great tips.
"Serve fluffier mashed potatoes by adding a half teaspoon
of baking powder to them as you whip them"
♡
"A stick of spearmint gum placed in your flour canister 
will keep the weevils away"
♡
"A drop of oil of wintergreen in the refrigerator 
will keep food odors from mixing"
♡
"Rub molasses over grass stains, wash as usual,
then allow to dry in the direct sun"
♡
Left over tea - the stronger the better - makes an excellent final rinse 
for brunettes. It adds shimmering highlights 
and removes soapy film, leaving hair shining"
These are just a few of the hints.
Has anyone ever heard of these helpful hints before?

~ ~ ☆ ~ ☆ ♡ ♡ ☆ ~ ☆ ~ ~

So many things to do on a daily basis with a "To Do" list
that is never ending, but God wants us to trust
our tomorrows to Him. He wants us to rest in Him,
knowing He is in charge and holds each day
safely in His loving hands.
Having a "To Do" list is fine if we seek God's leading 
when we make those plans and hand them over to Him
at the start of each new day.
God has each day covered according to His perfect will.
"Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not 
what a day may bring forth."
~ Proverbs 27:1 ~

~ ~ ☆ ~ ☆ ♡ ♡ ☆ ~ ☆ ~ ~

Mom was going through some of her things and was letting go
of a Life Principal Study Book by Charles Stanley
and I latched on to it!
"Developing a Servant's Heart"
~ Give of yourself and receive from God ~
This is going to be my next personal Bible study 
that I'm planning on starting soon.
I love to look into God's Word and find what He has for me.
Lord...
Let me wake each morning with a deep hunger for Your Word.
Woo me to Your side, and teach me your Word.
Fill my mind heart, and soul with Your marvelous Truth.
That is my prayer. ❤


Joy!
Debbie

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
💖