November 30, 2011. Scripture.

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives” 2 Peter 3:10-11 NIV

November 29, 2011. Scripture.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1,26 NIV

November 26, 2011. Scripture.

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,” Hebrews 12:28 NIV

November 26, 2011.

Thanksgiving week and it's been a busy week.  We went to my brothers for Thanksgiving Day, then stopped at my mom's for dessert.  (don't ask..small family feud going on)  Last evening we ventured up to Chicago for a birthday celebration.  It is Chris' dads 86th birthday.  We met the rest of the family at a restaurant called Greek Islands.  Probably not a good choice for yesterday.  Being black Friday and downtown Chicago, the place was packed!  We didn't have to wait as long as others because one of the owners is an uncle of my nephews.  Had a yummy dinner and a nice visit.  

Today is Thanksgiving Dinner number two with Chris' mom.  There will only be six of us today. 

It's funny the odd thoughts that come to my mind at different times.  I was peeling potatoes this morning for the dinner and running the water faucet to fill the pan.  It came to my mind that there are a lot of people in the world who clean, running water is not available for them.   And it's something most of us take for granted, and don't thank God for.  

A recent saying I've heard is..."What would happen if I woke up tomorrow with only the things I thanked God for yesterday."  

Makes one think.  Do we thank God everyday for all that we have?  Or do we moan and groan for the things we have not.  I know I don't thank God enough.  It is something I am striving to change.  Just like that water coming from the faucet.  I'm am very grateful to God for the luxury of clean, running water.

November 25, 2011. Scripture.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17 NIV

November 24, 2011. Thanksgiving Day!

It's Thanksgiving Day and I hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed day with your friends and family!

 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7 NIV

November 22, 2011

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 

November 21, 2011

 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—”  1 Corinthians 1:4-5

November 20, 2011.

Today is Sunday morning and in an hour or so we are going to head out for morning worship and fellowship time.  I really love Sunday mornings!  Yesterday morning we traveled to a church where a friend of ours is the pastor.  We went to partake and assist in a food giveaway they have once a month.  The giveaway is for anyone, no questions asked.  We've gone in the last couple months to this and it has greatly helped during the time Chris was off work.


Anyway, the time changes where the church is and this always messes me up.  We wound up getting up too early and got there a full hour before the doors opened.  A sign of our poor economy, there were already people there waiting in line.  By the time the giveaway began two hours later, the church was full.  They did a survey of the folks who were there and there was 145 people, representing 97 families covering about 355 people.  What a blessing that this church can provide food for all these people.  


Chris and I decided next month instead of partaking, we would just help.  Our financial situation is better, not great...we are getting by OK.  There were so many others there in a worse of situation then ours.  One couple I was near, it was there first time there.  She was handicapped and she told me her and her husband do not live together.  Mainly because this way she can get more state aide for her handicap.  I don't quite understand how the state works, but this struck me as very sad.  There is another mother and son who come each month.  I stood near them last month.  She mentioned in conversation that over the summer the had to live for a couple of weeks without power.  So indeed, most who go truly need the assistance of this food.


This week is Thanksgiving.   I am thankful that there are churches and other groups who provide such a blessing as a food giveaway like this.  It will truly make the holiday a little brighter for the folks who were there. 

November 20, 2011. Scripture

“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”  Psalm 95:1-2

Good Psalm for a Sunday morning.

November 19, 2011 Scripture.

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.”  Psalm 1:1-2

November 18, 2011 Scripture

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”  John 17:17

November 17, 2011 Scripture

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.   Psalm 109:105
   

November 16, 2011

Our church participates in the Shoe Box Ministry program.  To learn more about it, you can go to this link: Shoe Box Ministry  I brought a box home on Sunday and today I went to the store to fill it.  You can choose whether you want the box to go to a boy or girl and also the age group.  I decided on a boy in the age range of 10 to 14.  Something told me that this was probably the one group who maybe gets the least donations.  Most people more enjoy buying for little kids and I'm sure girls are very popular. 

So. anyway...I went to the store and I purchased a blue t-shirt in a man's size small.  Also a package of pencils with a design geared towards boys, a pencil sharpener, a boys pencil case, a notebook, a tube of toothpaste, a toothbrush,  and a comb.  From home I had a new, blue bandana that I added in as well.  All these items went into the shoe box and it will get delivered to a boy somewhere in the world.  I'm also going to enclose a Christmas card for whatever little boy gets my box.

We take so much for granted.  The items that I placed into this box...like, the comb..may be an item this little boy does not own.  The t-shirt may be the first new shirt he has ever received.


When I came home and filled my box, I took a pencil to fill out the form.  I have many pencils in my junk drawer, I have combs and brushes.  These normal, everyday things we take for granted.  There are so many children in the world who don't have these basic necessities.

If you have a chance to participate in this ministry, I urge you to do so.  These boxes that go to these children may very well be the only thing they receive for Christmas!

 

November 16, 2011. Scripture.

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”  Psalm 119:18

November 15, 2011. Scripture.

“Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight.”  Psalm 119:143

November 14. 2011 Scripture for today.

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.”  Peter 3:18

November 12, 2011

For the first part of November, it was a pretty nice day.  It won't be long now before winter really sets in, so I made sure to get a walk in today.  Walked for over two miles.  Walking this time of the year is so nice with the cooler temps, not to mention it's a great time to think, pray and just release any stress.  Today I walked with music.  Sometimes I do and sometimes I just like silence.


The last song I heard before my two miles were up was Michael W. Smiths Amazing Grace/My Chains are Gone.  Truly an amazing and inspirational song.

Love the book of Ephesians.

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.  Ephesians 1:16

November 10, 2011

Some more from Ephesians:
 In him we were also chosen,^[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.   Esphesians 1: 11-12

November 9, 2011

Monday evening I attended a class on making bread at a local store.  There is a store in Remington called the Homestead Buttery and Bakery.  If you haven't been there, you need to check it out.  These ladies have a wonderful store and boy, do they know how to bake.  They also make fudge, ice cream and lots of other goodies.  Their cinnamon rolls are the best I've ever eaten.


Anyway, I have recently gotten into making bread from scratch.  I don't use a bread machine..do all the kneading by hand.  The ladies at the Homestead even grind their own wheat kernels, but they do use a really nice mixer that does all the kneading for them.  It's not a Kitchen Aide, but a machine by the Bosch company.  I now have extreme mixer envy and am going to slowly save up my pennies in the hopes of some day purchasing one.  Would also like a wheat grinder, but that can come later.  The ladies at the Homestead do sell the wheat they grind in bags out of the freezer.

Bread from the grocery store is good, but nothing compares to the bread we made that evening in class.  Taking wheat kernels, grinding them to a fine flour, going right into the mixer, kneading, rising then baking.  Most people associate true whole wheat bread with being kind of dry and coarse.  The bread made that evening was the softest and must scrumptious bread ever!  I bought some of their flour and am going to try my hand at making whole wheat bread this weekend.  The recipe they use also calls for honey and some oil.  Even though the class was taught using the mixer for kneading, I did get some tips from the ladies on kneading by hand.  And also successful dough rising techniques. 


Can you imagine how precious fresh bread was back in pioneer days?  They had to grind the wheat by hand..no fancy electric mills back then.  And no fancy electric mixers.  If you keep going back further, in Biblical times it was mostly unleavened bread. 

November 8, 2011.

Continuing today with Ephesians.  Ephesians 4:32

 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

November 7, 2011. Scripture for the day.

I used to post scripture often here in my blog.  I need to try and get back into doing that.  In a Sunday morning Bible study at church, we went through the book of Ephesians.  Lots of good rules for living a good life.  Too bad more people don't follow these rules.  As the image I found says...growing in Christ.

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  Ephesians  4:29

November 1, 2011

Yep, October is done and November is here.  In two months it will be the year 2012!  Isn't that the year the world is supposed to end!  (yeah, right)  It's a beautiful fall day here today, so I took Charlotte for a one mile walk.  She and I have been doing a lot of walks lately.  Pretty soon it will be cold and snowy outside, so have to get as many in as you can.  I'm feeling a bit better today, not as down as I was in my last post.  Walking and prayer..they can do a body good.  Hey...that is kind of catchy!  

Prayer...it does a body good!