The 23rd Psalm

Greetings!

This morning as I was reading the latest reports out of Washington the Lord laid heavy on me the 23rd Psalm.  I thought to myself, I just can't imagine why God would put this on my mind while reading the reports of impending doom for our country if the politicians in Washington do not get their act together and stop bickering like children.  So, lets take a look at the Psalm and see where it leads us.

Psalm 23

 ¹The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
 ²He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
 ³He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
 ⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
 ⁵Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
 ⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Well the very first verse tell us that the Lord is our Shepherd, I shall not want.  When I was a kid I misunderstand the part, "I shall not want".  I thought it was saying I shall not want the Lord as my Shepherd.  What can I say, I was pretty young then, LOL.  Actually what this means is we shall not want for anything because the Lord provides for our needs.

So many of us think our wants are our needs but truth be told they are not.  Your basic needs will always be provided by the Lord.  You can survive some very rough times.  And it looks like those very rough times might be heading our way very soon with the financial problems of the United States and the "good ole boys" of Washington, DC behaving like little boys.

Verse 2 says, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside still waters.  When I read that verse it tells me that the Lord is showing the writer a peaceful and comfortable life.  After all, lying in green pastures or walking beside still waters is a calming thing.  Can you not picture yourself just taking a nap out in a field of grass on a warm sunny day?  Doesn't that sound pretty nice?  Or how about sitting by a lake that is calm?  Sounds pretty peaceful to me.

Verse 3, He restoreth my soul, He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  Wow!  Let's take the first part of that, He restoreth my soul.  He forgives me and brings my soul back to life.  We must understand that we need forgiveness of our sins and need to repent of those sins or we will be dead to God and condemned to an eternity in Hell.  Here the writer is saying, He forgives me, I am alive again!! 

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  When we are Christians and are forgiven the Lord will lead us to be righteous and we do it for the name of Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords!!

Verse 4, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for though art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  I love this verse, but I think there is some controversy over its true meaning.  The valley of the shadow of death seems to be associated with many as dying.  But I don't believe so.  I have a strong feeling being laid on me that we are not talking of the dying of the body here.  We are talking about the valley of the shadow of death being sin, the death of the spirit through sin.  But because we are forgiven, Jesus will remain with us and comfort us and help us get through that valley of sin and temptation.  We do not have to be afraid of it because the Lord is always with us.

Verse 5,  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies, thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.  I believe I can face my enemies and it will not matter because I am anointed by the Lord, I am a child of the King and my cup runneth over with His love and blessings.

Verse 6, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  In this two part verse I believe goodness and mercy from the Lord will be with me all the days of my earthly life, but then I will live with the Lord in heaven for all eternity.

To me this is more a Psalm of faith rather than of death of this body.  It is telling us when we ask for forgiveness of our sins, we will be forgiven.  And even though there will be many trials, tribulations and temptations we can get through them when we follow the Lord and our reward will be a life eternal in heaven with our Lord and Savior.

Now, you are probably wondering what this has to do with the news coming out of Washington, DC.  I believe God is showing us that even if this fiasco happens and the budget is not resolved, and things go from bad to really bad we can get through this valley if we lean on Jesus and trust in Him to lead us through it.  God did not promise us a perfect life here on earth free of trials and tribulations.  But He did promise to never leave us nor forsake us if we call upon Him.  He can and He will get us through any mess we humans can create here on earth.  And if we are righteous and faithful to Him we will dwell with Him forever in the house of the Lord.  Praise the Lord for showing me this message today.  What wonderful peace it has given me.  Thank you Jesus!!

Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!

A Jezebel Spirit,,,,,,,

Greetings,

Last night in bible study we had a discussion about A Jezebel Spirit.  I knew there was such a thing but had never done a study on it to find out more about it so this discussion was very interesting to me.

As we discussed the general characteristics of a Jezebel Spirit I realized I actually had several people in and out of my life that fit the characteristics of that evil spirit.  We discussed how they are manipulative and controlling and always want to be the center of attention and in charge of any situation.  They're main purpose is to get into the church and try to control it and manipulate the people in the church to do their will and not the will of God.  They will use any means possible to control or destroy a church.  They know how to get people to do their dirty work for them so to speak.  They can be a force to be reckoned with if you are not strong in faith.  If you are a baby Christian, that is someone new in faith, you can easily fall prey to a Jezebel Spirit.

The Lord has laid heavy on my heart this morning to study up further on a Jezebel Spirit because I know of such a person today.  So as I study more and gain more knowledge I will share this information with you.

I am running late this morning and need to cut this short as I have to run out the door soon.  I did get some packing done yesterday and plan on moving a load of stuff later today if the rain holds off long enough to do it.  I pray you have a good day and if you know someone who seems to fit these characteristics, please study up on it and pray up to the Lord to watch over you and your church.

Until next time,,,,,,,,Blessings!

A little of dis and a little of dat,,,,,,,,,,

Greetings,

I really don't have anything in particular on my mind today except I really need to get busy packing.  This week has been pretty well shot with the effects of mowing the lawn on Monday.  Last night I was still hurting pretty bad when I went to bed although each day has seen minor improvement.  Still hurting today but not quite as bad.  I would hate to see how I felt if I mowed with a push mower instead of a riding one.

I did not even make it to bible study last night like I intended too.  I knew with the pain I was in I would not be able to concentrate.  So, I stayed home.  I sure do hate missing though.  Tonight is a bible study at my home church, I will go to that for sure.

I am really hoping to get started in this office today with sorting through things and packing.  I have a feeling there will be a lot of extra out to the curb on garbage day.  There is so much I can not take with me as there will not be the room to store it and I can not afford to rent a storage unit.  Such is life.  This is certainly not the first time I had to start over in life and unfortunately it probably won't be the last.  But hopefully the next time I will be able to move into my permanent home.

I have read a lot of comments regarding the President's speech the other night and most people do not believe the government will miss sending those checks out in August.  I am not so sure.  Over the last couple of decades the government has done some really stupid things and this just might be another.  On a biblical stand point, this might just be what God uses to wake up this country and the world that He and He alone is God almighty.  That He holds the world in His hands.

Of course there will be those who blame God for their problems instead of relying on Him for His provisions.  So many people will find it easier to turn their backs on God and blame Him.  They'll ask why has God allowed this to happen, why has God turned his back on us??  Excuse me,,, isn't it us who turned our backs on God first??  We allowed our government to take God out of schools, out of the public, out of our court houses and so on, all due to "political correctness."  Poppy-cock!!  My political correctness is how dare you tell me I can not openly practice my faith when you want to practice yours without judgment or persecution!!

This is still the United States of America!  It is still "One nation UNDER GOD".  Love it or leave it!!

Until next time,,,,,Blessings!

Yesterday, today and tomorrow,,,,,,

Greetings!!

Yesterday I hurt so much from mowing the day before that I could hardly walk.  Very little got done that I wanted to do.  I did manage to cut up some melons and to make a nice tossed salad, but that is about it.  Such is the life with fibromyalgia.

Today I am not hurting quite as much.  Still a lot of pain but a lot more tolerable than yesterday.  Today I plan on starting my packing in earnest.  I finally got a half a dozen good sized boxes out of my car that have been there a while.  I will start in the room I have my computer in.  There are a lot of things to go through in here.  Some mine, some Frank's.  He can pack his own things, I will put them in a pile as I go through my stuff.  This evening I am going to bible study and New Hope if I feel up to it by the time I get done packing and possibly moving a load over to Win's house.

Tomorrow I will wind up paying for the work I do today, measured in pain.  Such is the life of a person with fibromyalgia.  I do not like giving into the pain.  Sometimes, like yesterday, I have no choice.  I pray tomorrow is not as bad.  If I pace myself, take frequent breaks and rest, I should not be as bad tomorrow.  My problem is, I often do not know when to quit or take that break.

Most people who do not have fibromyalgia or do not live with a person who has it, just can not understand how the pain can be this bad.  They do not understand why you can not get a task as easy as vacuuming the floor completed without taking breaks.  They don't want to hear you are in pain.  They don't understand the tears when the pain is so bad you cry.  Or you cry because you are frustrated that you can not get the job done.  Even simple things can be very painful.  Last night I had a difficult time eating supper, holding a fork hurt.  I had a hard time sitting still to watch TV because I could not get comfortable with the pain.  Frank is like most people who do not have nor have they been exposed to fibromyalgia before.  He does not understand the pain or amount of pain.

There is nothing worse than a person with fibromyalgia hearing statements like, "no one can be in that much pain", "I don't understand why you can not do this", "how can someone be in so much pain all the time", and the dreaded, "you're just lazy and don't want to do anything".  There are so many other hurtful statements those of us with fibromyalgia have heard over the years.  I wish people would wake up and realize this is a real and debilitating disease.  The pain is real.  It is due to hyper sensitive nerves.  It is not faked and it is not from depression, although sometimes it causes those inflicted with the disease to become depressed.  After all, who would not get depressed when they see their quality of life deteriorating?  Who would not get depressed when they can't do the things they enjoy doing or even simple tasks around the home?  What about when just a year ago you could do so much more than you can now?  Then of course there are all the negative hurtful statements you hear, that will depress a person too.

It is my prayer that people will be more understanding when they come in contact with a person with fibromyalgia.  I pray they take the time to educate themselves about this disease instead of making comments that can be very hurtful.  I pray for an easier day tomorrow than I had yesterday.  And I pray all people inflicted with fibromyalgia will find peace and comfort during the worse times of the disease.  In Jesus name, Amen!

Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!

The President's Speech,,,,,,

Greetings,

I am sure many of you saw the President's speech last night.  I am not going to play the blame game because let's face it, both parties have made a lot of mistakes over the past several decades.  Those mistakes lead to the nightmare we are currently in.  But was this predicted in the bible?  Didn't Jesus teach about these hard times?

I know a lot of people that will be in serious trouble if the government in essence goes bankrupt.  They rely on social security and VA benefits to pay their bills.  They live a very modest life to begin with.  And no, I do not agree with those who believe they are taking advantage of the system.  A person who is taking advantage of the system has lived on welfare numerous years and made no attempt to get a job.  Of course now, the jobs are not there to be had. 

What about the seniors who worked all their lives, retired after paying into social security all their lives that might now lose what they paid into?  What about our veterans who became disabled while serving our country?  These are not people taking advantage of "entitlements".  The government and we the people owe them.  The government misappropriated funds from these programs and now want to call them bums instead of taking responsibility of their own misdoings.

Congress voted themselves in an automatic yearly pay raise, while those who rely on Social Security and VA benefits have received nothing for several years now.  What is wrong with this picture?  And now they face the very real possibility they may not receive the check they have come to rely on?  How will they pay their bills?  How will they eat or buy medicine?

The United States Government really needs to get their heads out of their collective butts and work together.  It is not about which political party is better, or stronger.  This is about the American public.  The very ones who elected you and put you in office.  The very ones who can vote you right back out of office!!  And the American people need to make themselves heard.  You have that right!  This is still the United States of America!!

As for the bible predictions, I am not going to give you scriptures like I normally do because I want you to research it for yourselves.  But I will say this, if we do not stop taking God out of our country for a very few non-believers that cause trouble, there will be more trouble in this country the likes of which no one will want to endure.  We are in tough times, but the times are going to get even tougher.

I have a friend who often writes on her blog about being prepared.  In fact I do too from time to time.  There is a reason for that.  We know and understand the biblical predictions, and those times are here.  If you do not already do so, it is time for you to start paying attention to what God has told us in His word.

Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!

The rain came, the rain went,,,,,

Greetings!!

Yesterday the rain came, and the rain went but the humidity stayed.  We do have some cooler temperatures than we have had lately but not by much.  I am late this morning writing this blog because I figured I had better take advantage of the few degrees cooler and get out and mow the lawns.  I mowed both my lawn and the landlord's lawn at the house next door.  He lets me use his riding mower and I do both lawns, its a pretty fair deal I would say.  I have not done any lawn work in over three weeks due to the high heat and humidity.

I got about half the trimming done with the weed whacker.  It is a battery operated one and is not designed to do two lawns on a single charge.  So tomorrow morning I will get out and finish the trimming.  I have the whacker back on the charger and it will be all set to go in the morning.

With the fibromyalgia even the riding mower will cause my muscles to cramp and spasm.  So I always feel accomplished when I get a job like this done.  I did not let the pain beat me today and that is such a good feeling.  Those of you who live with fibromyalgia will understand how I feel.  Being able to do some of the simplest tasks that most people take for granted is a sense of accomplishment and a great triumph for those with fibromyalgia.

When you have fibromyalgia even a gentle breeze can be painful.  Feeling clothes touching your skin can make you want to cry.  Yet you never want to give into the pain.  You push yourself until you have no choice but to give in and rest for a while.  It is a constant battle of your will power each and every day.  People who do not suffer from this horrible disease cannot even imagine what you go through never mind understand it.

My church family are huggers, they love to hug.  The pain of being hugged is excruciating for me, yet I never tell them no or to stop.  Why?  Because we all need to be hugged and feel loved.  And I also don't want to make any one feel bad because they were trying to show me love.  Our Heavenly Father commands us to love one another.  Hugging is and expression of love.  So I hug everyone back who hugs me.  Then when I come home after services, I have to give in for a while and rest, take a muscle relaxer and or pain killer and just recover.  Will I once again hug everyone next Sunday?  Yes I will because I am both giving and receiving love.  And love can conquer anything!!

I take one day at a time with my fibromyalgia and I do what I can and try not to worry about what I can not do.  Yes, sometimes I push too hard and wind up paying for it with worse pain, muscle spasms and cramps, but then the good that is accomplished is well worth the pain and cramps.  I know God is always with me and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, sometimes I just have to do it a little slower.  :-)

Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!!

Cabin fever,,,,,,,,

Greetings!!!

I bet you are all thinking,,, "why would anyone be writing about cabin fever in the summer time"?  Well, if you are like I am and cannot tolerate heat and humidity you are stuck inside during this high heat wave.  How many people get stuck inside during bad heat days hugging the air conditioner?

I have been assessing life in general lately.  Seems I am inside most of the winter because of the bitter cold.  And I am inside most of the summer because of the extreme heat.  That leaves just a little bit of out door time in the spring and fall.  Something is wrong with this picture!!

Luckily for me I don't really get "cabin fever" like a lot of people do.  I have enough to keep me busy inside.  Especially with the ceramics and other crafts that I do.  I am not much on watching TV although I admit I have watched more TV in the last two years with Frank than the 10 previous years of my life.  But still, I could take it or leave it and once he is gone I will leave it.  I find more enjoyment in my crafts or reading a good book. 

Many folks do not read much or enjoy making crafts.  Those are the type that will get cabin fever in a hurry.  Some will go out in the summer no matter how hot and humid it might be rather than stay inside because of cabin fever.  I would rather be comfortable in the air conditioning than to be out in the heat sweating to death, risking heat exhaustion or heat stroke, taxing my heart to work harder in the heat, making my lungs work harder to breath that hot humid air, getting sunburned and all the other stuff that goes with being outside in this heat.

So after thinking about all this I have decided I need to move to a cooler, drier climate.  If I have to stay in for the most part in the winter then let me live in a place where I can get out for at least a good portion of the summer, and also spring and fall.  Not that I get cabin fever but a body needs to have sunshine.  Not to the point of burning,,,, but the sun does have its benefits for the body.  And not getting any sun at all is not good for us.  Not getting enough sun will actually weaken our immune systems.

I have been looking at real estate and cost of living in several areas of the country.  I once lived in Albuquerque, NM.  The climate there is wonderful.  The air is dry, not much of a winter either, snow doesn't last long and they don't get the bitter cold winds we do up north.  But it has gotten expensive to live there.  I might be able to afford a small condo but not a single family home.  Condo life does have some advantages though.  I have NM on my list of possibilities.

I looked into the Denver, Colorado area.  Denver and most of its suburbs are way more expensive than I could afford but Aurora has very reasonable priced condos.  But I wonder why Aurora is so much less expensive than the other suburbs of Denver?  That will take a lot more research.

I knew right off the bat Arizona is way to expensive for my budget.  I don't much like California.  Nevada can be good depending on the area, some are way higher than others.  Forget about any place in the south east, way to hot and humid for me.

Part of me has thought about going back to NY state but much further north of where I grew up at.  Think north of the Adirondacks, close to the Canadian border.  There are both good and bad points to that.  Winters are very harsh.  But the summers are a lot cooler with their average high temperature at only 75F.  To have a sustainable garden you would have to be able to start your plants in a greenhouse as the growing season is much shorter.  The cost of utilities would be higher in the winter especially. 

As you can see there is a lot to take into consideration when you are planning on moving and can be picky about where you want to move to.  I can be picking because I can take my business anywhere.  I am not too worried about being a "shut in" during winter as I am now for the most part.  I like to garden so I am not really sure condo living would be right for me. I guess that would depend on if I could have at least a small garden.  I am not really wild about big cities although I have lived in them and did just fine.

So the next thing I really need to do is make a list of priorities and what is really more important to me.  Would I give up country life if I could find the other things I want in a big city?  Do I prefer a single family home versus a condo?  Can I handle the maintenance of a single family home as I grow older?  Oh so many things to consider!!  Just thinking about all these things will keep me from getting cabin fever, LOL.

What about you?  What do you do to keep cabin fever at bay when you are stuck inside due to the weather?  Or do you just brave the elements and go outside anyway to avoid cabin fever??

Just some points to ponder during this wicked heat wave, LOL.

Until next time,,,,,Blessings!

Killer migraines, $10 pills and no relief,,,,,

Greetings everyone!!

I woke up with one of those extremely, sick to your stomach kind of bad migraines this morning.  I tried the new medicine that the neurologist gave me that is suppose to cure those nasty migraines.  At $10 a pill you would think it would do something!!  Wrong!!  Didn't even take the edge off the pain.  Now I am still suffering and $50 bucks poorer as I got 5 pills for the month.

You are suppose to be able to just take one of these things and be cured.  I did better on 3 Excedrin, a cold cloth and a dark room, LOL.  Ah, such is life.  I still think I was better off when I "doctored myself" as Granny used to say on the Beverly Hillbillies, LOL.  There is a lot of good to be said for old time Folk Medicine.  First off most of the doctoring came from natural ingredients.  Not a bottle of chemicals.  Oh, how we have pickled ourselves with so many chemicals!!

I'll get into that subject a little more one of these days when my head is not throbbing so much, LOL.  Just can't think to clearly right now but did want to come in and let you know I was a live.  Not kicking too much but a live, LOL.

Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!!

My business web site,,,,,,

Greetings!!

First I must say I have not given up my plans to get my ceramics business going again.  It has been derailed for a short time, but by fall I hope to have things in much better shape and be organized again.  Having to move by the end of August did throw a bit of a curve ball at me, but I am swinging back in the hopes of hitting a home run, LOL.

I have found a new program for designing sites that I am learning now and will be redoing the entire site.  As some of you know I like messing around with web sites anyway.  So once I get it all figured out, you will get to see a new site, with new lay out and colors.  I will be playing with it over the next few days during this heat wave as I can not get much else done right now any way.  I hope to have the basics done and up at least before I have to move my computer on August 9th.  I should be able to do that.

The program actually looks easier to work once you get used to the differences in how things are done.  Everything has a learning curve!!  I will get to have music on the site, videos and pictures galore.  I believe I will also be able to easily link this blog to my site, which I think is way cool, LOL.  So look for that in the near future.  I will post an update on here when the site is set up and ready to go.

I am also going to use this new program for my church's web site, which will also be completely re-done.  Can't wait to get started on that as well.

The move that I am making will actually make it easier for me on the business as my kiln, molds and other equipment will be right there.  Hopefully this fall I will be able to post pictures of my working shop and show you the molds, kilns, pouring equipment and my little glazing corner.  I am excited about that!!  I have some cleaning and organizing to do first before I take pictures though.  Want it to look nice for you to see.  So often ceramic shops become messy in a hurry.  After all it is not exactly the cleanest medium to work with, LOL.

In the future I hope to be able to post some "how to" videos on my site.  I want to have videos of glazing, firing, throwing pottery on the wheel and pouring molds.  It will be a lot of fun.  So I am planning that for sometime next year.  I am also going to open a bisque shop on my web site where you can purchase the bisque and supplies to make the items yourself.  That will be great if you have a kiln or know someone who does and can fire the items yourself.  People have gotten away from ceramics as a hobby but I think it will come back in again.  I guess time will tell.

Well, that is just a hint of the things I am planning this year and next.  I hope I peaked your interest.  :-)

Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!

Can we say hot, hot, hot???

Greetings!

Can we say hot, hot, hot???  Yes, baby its hot outside!!  Last night at 9:30pm when I went to bed the heat index was still at 105.  And now this morning at about 8:15am the heat index is close to 100 its going to be another scorcher!!

They keep extending the heat warnings out another day or two at a time, now it is extended through Saturday.  A friend of mine read in the paper the other day that it will be like this through the end of the month.  I don't know about you but I don't fair well in this weather.  It tears up the fibromyalgia something fierce.  I can barely get around now, not sure how I will be by the end of the month.

I have no choice but to run some errands today.  I have to pick up medicines, pet food and pay bills.  There is just no getting around it.  It must be done.  So, shortly after I post this I am on my way out to get it done early and get back home to the air conditioning. The a/c in the car does not work very well so that will make for a miserable time as well.

Even my dog Rusty does not want to be out long in this heat.  He goes out long enough to take care of business then wants right back in.  Smart dog!!!

But with all my moaning and complaining I can not help but feel compelled to pray for those who are in worse shape.  People who do not have air conditioners, those that are homeless and those who may be without electricity in this sweltering heat.  Thinking about them, I really should not complain, over all I have it pretty good.  I have a roof over my head with a/c that is working.  It wasn't that many years ago that I was homeless but at least for now, I am not.  I am grateful for what I have.

Heavenly Father, I pray for those who are worse off.  Who do not have a home, or air conditioning.  I pray for those whose electricity has been shut off and they are suffering in this heat.  Father, I ask that you give them strength to endure.  I ask that you comfort them when they feel lost and forgotten.  Father I pray that you bring a break in the hot weather to give those in need a reprieve from the heat.  I pray you open the skies and bring much needed rain to a dry and scorched land.  Father I stand on your word, you are the God of mercy, show mercy to those in need.  Father I know that you are the almighty and there is none above you, and that you have the power to do anything you desire.  I pray openly and unashamedly to you Father, we need your help!!  So many of your children are suffering from this extreme heat Father!!  Father you control the wind and the rain and the temperatures and you alone can make it change.  I ask these things in Jesus' loving a precious name.  And I thank you for being faithful and answering the prayers of those who pray to you in faith because your word tells us, "whatever we ask for in faith, it shall be given."  I stand upon that promise when I ask you in faith to do these things.  I pray in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus.  Amen!!

Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!!

To boldly go where no man has gone before,,,,,,

Greetings!!

Do you remember that line from the Star Trek shows?  "Space, the final frontier of men.  Our mission, to seek out new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before."  Well I've got the to boldly go part right, LOL.  I woke up this morning with a message on my heart about being bold for the Lord.  Are you bold for the Lord?  Do you boldly tell people about what Jesus did on the cross? 

When people ask for prayer do you boldly pray for them on the spot or do you say, "yes, I will pray for you' or 'I will keep you in my prayers', or 'I will pray about it"?  Often on facebook there are prayer requests asked by my friends for various people.  Perhaps a sick grand-child or relative.  Or perhaps someone was in an accident or had a heart attack.  Usually it is something that just happened, an emergency of sorts.

I believe the people asking for prayer are being bold in asking.  Especially in this world today where it no longer seems correct to mention, God, faith or Jesus in public.  When a person is bold enough to ask for prayer it is my duty and priveledge as a Christian to boldly pray for the request of that person.  I believe it is time that Christians stop worrying about popular opinion and do what God calls us to do.

Let's take a look at some scriptures that talk about boldness.
 
Proverbs 28:1  The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Ephesians 3: 11 &12  ¹¹According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
 ¹²In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Ephesians 6:18, 19, 20    ¹⁸Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
 ¹⁹And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
 ²⁰ boldly, as I ought to speak.

Phillipians 1: 20  ²⁰According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

Hebrews 4: 16  ¹⁶Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

I believe the scriptures make it very clear.  As Christians we are to be bold in our faith, when we speak about the Lord, when we pray.  So when one of my friends on facebook ask for prayer, I pray in all boldness and faith in the Lord.  I challenge each and everyone of you to do the same.  The power of prayer is an awesome thing.  And when we pray boldly we unleash that power.  The Father hears those prayers and He answers them!!

As Christians we can make a difference in this world when we walk in faith and boldness.

Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!!

Life is very busy these days,,,,,

Greetings!!

I was not sure what I would write about this morning and God did not lay anything specific on my heart today.  Life is very busy these days.  I am currently going to two churches right now as I am of course a member at First Church of God and I am also helping another church develop their web site and I enjoy their bible studies and worship services as well.  I am also trying to prepare to move in August.  That is going slow but crawling along.

I have a couple of appointments today, which I dread going out in this humidity.  It is making the fibromyalgia scream!!  Then there are the usual chores that have to be done as well.  I made some salads on Saturday as I had said I would.  It is good to eat cold foods in this hot weather.  I do not like heating the house up when it is so hot outside.  Just makes the air conditioners work all the harder when you have the oven running too.

We had a great service at church yesterday at Church of God.  Pastor Kim delivered a powerful message in my opinion.  Wish I could have stayed for the "Secret Sisters" group too but I had to get home.  The fibro was really flaring and I was starting to have a hard time moving.  Perhaps next time I won't feel so bad physically.  Yesterday afternoon, after I rested a bit, I had to read more legal documents regarding my work comp case.  Soon that will be going back to court and I want to be prepared.  All that reading gave me a migraine and I was down for another nap.

Today I have some appointments and then will be back in the air conditioning.  I hope to get some packing done this afternoon.  There is so much to go through and with the fibro its going to take a while.

Been looking at the lawn and its getting to where it will need a mowing soon but I am hoping to hold off until this latest heat wave breaks.  We are suppose to have heat indexes around 107 today.  And getting worse as the week goes on.  This is not fun for anyone!!

Aside for a few appointments towards the end of the week I hope to be able to stay in and get some sorting and packing done.  Tomorrow I will get laundry caught up again as well.  I do have a load of boxes ready to go over to where I am moving to but am holding off on doing that lugging until the heat breaks.  I guess I will have a few loads ready by the time the heat breaks, LOL.  But that is OK, at least it will be a step in the right direction.

So this post probably seems a bit on the boring side compared to some others but I guess that is OK too.  Hope if you are affected by this heat you have a good way to stay cool.

Until next time,,,,,Blessings!

Good news and battening down the hatches,,,,

Greetings!!

Well the good news is I won't have to move my computer until August 9th, instead of next week like I had originally thought.  So at least I can get on long enough to do my usual morning routine until then.  I will only be without computer on a regular basis for a couple of weeks instead of the month and a half I was thinking.  Praise the Lord!!

This morning the heat index is already at 80F at about 7:15am.  This is mild compared to what we will be getting.  But I am going to run to the grocery store and stock up on some cold foods to eat.  I don't much feel like eating when it is extremely hot.  And I sure don't want to heat up the house by running the oven to cook dinner.  I will make a variety of salads today, have some lunch meat, breads, rolls, cottage cheese and fruits.  Maybe some hot dogs and hamburgers that I can throw on the grill rather than cooking inside.

The filters in the air conditioners will be cleaned when I get back from the store and lots of bottled water in the fridge.  There is plenty to do in the house to keep me busy this coming week.  I plan on going out very little.  I have a doctor's appointment I need to keep and a couple of other things.  But for the most part, inside in the a/c is where I will stay.

With the fibromyalgia I have no choice.  The humidity locks my muscles right up and I can not move hardly from the pain.  Even being inside it will still affect me but not as bad.  I hope you are all prepared for the heat wave too!!

Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!!

Heat wave coming,,,,,,

Greetings!!

They have been putting up warnings on my weather bug since yesterday regarding the very bad heat wave that will start this weekend and run through next week.  According to the weather bug and the National Weather Service we are under a "dangerous heat index warning" starting Sunday and going through to at least next Thursday.  They say we will have heat indexes from 105 - 110F and above.  That gives me two days to prepare.

Prepare?  How do you prepare for a heat wave?  Well, one of the first things I will do is clean out the filters on the air conditioners so they will run better and work a little easier.  You would be amazed at how fast those filters can fill up with dust, dirt, animal fur, etc.  Then I will put several bottles of water in the fridge to get them nice and cold.  I have to go grocery shopping either today or tomorrow so I will buy things that I can prepare without heating up the house.  No sense running the oven and having the air conditioners fight the heat of the oven.

Because my fibromyalgia does not tolerate humidity very well I will also plan on staying in as much as possible.  Any appointments during the worse heat of the day will either be changed or postponed.  I just won't go out in this type of weather if at all possible.  I'll get my prescription for muscle relaxers refilled as my muscles will be screaming during that time.  Check to make sure there are a couple of ice packs in the freezer too.  Cold on a sore muscle will often help relieve the pain.  I'll make some salads and cold foods to eat too.  Cold foods are more enjoyable when it is so hot outside.

Have you given any thought to what you will do to make things a little bit easier when you have a heat spell like this in your area??  It is always good to be prepared for any little emergency that comes up.  And to me, heat like this can be an emergency.

Until next time,,,,,,,,Blessings!!

Book give away contest at AmishAmerica.com today,,,,,

Greetings!!

As many of you know I am very interested in the Amish, their beliefs and way of life.  I frequently read a few blogs related to the Amish.  I have mentioned AmishStories.com in the past and also AmishAmerica.com.  Today on Amish America there is a wonderful interview with Ira Wagler who wrote the book, "Growing up Amish".  There is also a contest to win one of 6 of the books that are being given away.

Ira Wagler grew up Amish and eventually left the Amish community for the outside world.  This book tells his story and would be very interesting and enlightening to any one who has an interest in the Amish.  It gives and inside view of the life of the Amish.  I am sure you will be blessed both by the interview posted today on AmishAmerica.com and in the book.

Here is a link to jump on over to Amish American and read the interview for yourself.  Leave a post and follow the directions to be entered into the contest.  Enjoy the read, it is quite interesting!!

http://amishamerica.com/ira-wagler-on-growing-up-amish-6-book-giveaway/comment-page-1/#comment-19634    

                                                 

Until next time,,,,,,,,Blessings!!

God's timing is not our timing,,,,,,

Greetings!!

Understanding God's timing and accepting it is not always easy to do.  Sometimes we want something so bad and we ask God for His help and then we wait, and we wait, and we wait!!  I don't know about you but I am not always long on patience.  God will often delay something for that very reason.  We need to learn patience!  I need to learn patience!!

Many of you know I have an ongoing work comp case and have had to develop a lot of patience with it, LOL.  11 years ago on August 25 I was injured on the job as a truck driver.  My work comp case was won 9 years ago.  Neither the employer or the insurance company dispute that I was injured on the job.  Both say I should be paid.  But both want the other to pay it.  The battle the last 9 years has been over who will pay the judgement and final settlement.  I have been to every hearing and sat, watch and listened as lawyers and judges tried to figure out the mess.

In September we will be going back to court again.  This time the Appellate Court in Springfield, IL.  This, as far as I can tell is the end of the line.  It will be over one way or the other when the judges hand down their decision.  Yes, there is a slight possibility the State Supreme Court will take on the case but the odds are they won't.  They would not do it the last time we were in the Appellate Court and it is very much doubted they will now.

I have prayed and prayed asking God for His help.  I am standing on the promises in His word that He will.  "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice for justice will be served."  I am seeking justice.  I just want what I am rightfully owed according to the law.  I want my shoulder fixed if it can be after all these years.  I want the income lost because of this injury and the very long delay due to the legal battle.  I am not asking for anything excessive like the woman who spilt hot coffee on herself and then sued for the injury many years ago. 

I have prayed, I have seen many disappointments at each court hearing.  But I am waiting as patiently as I can.  I have not lost faith in God that He will serve me justice.  I have continued to trust that someday this will come to an end and to my benefit.  Since the beginning of my case the workers compensation act has been re-written a couple of times, better clarifying laws that enabled the insurance company to use some loop holes.  The loop holes have been closed up.  I am sure this was part of God's plan.  After all it will benefit other injured workers going up against a less than righteous employer or insurance company.  God always has a plan!!

Still this is one of the longest tests of patience I have had in my life.  I have grown to become very patient in most things.  But I am sure, I will have more tests in this area, LOL.  Understanding that God's timing and our timing are not the same is difficult at best.  But we must always remember God does have a plan for each and every one of us.  Even if we do not know what it is, we must be patient and continue to listen to the whisper of God.

Until next time,,,,, Blessings!!

Changes coming,,,,,

Greetings!!

There are many changes coming in my life soon.  But let me talk first about the changes in this blog.  I want to create a new background, add some widgets and remove some others.  But I am also thinking about suspending the blog for a while as I will be moving soon.  Starting one day next week I will not have access to my computer on a daily basis until the end of August, when I am finally moved.  So it will be hit and miss when I will get on here to post.

I will be moving my computer to my new residence early on to be able to take advantage of a special promotion set up by my Internet provider.  $10 a month for the first year is too good of a bargain to pass up.  Being off line more will give me the time I need to concentrate on packing and moving.  I am dreading doing all this work and have been procrastinating a bit to be honest. 

I have mixed emotions about the move but I believe in the long run it will be the best thing for me.  As they say, when one door closes, another one is opened.  I see a lot of wonderful possibilities for my future and I am looking forward to each of them.

I will let you know how it is going as I have time.

Until next time,,,,,Blessings!!

Heat and Humidity,,,,,,

Greetings!!!

It is just about 15 minutes past 8am.  The temperature is a very balmy 88 F and the heat index has just now hit 100 degrees F.  Can we say sticky???  Wow!!  Too early in the morning for this!!  As you know I have fibromyalgia and one of the worse things for it is humidity.  My muscles are already screaming this morning.

I was to go meet some friends for lunch but I think I will cancel.  This is a good day to stay home.  I have some paper work I need to get done any way and laundry to get caught up.  Even poor Rusty, my dog, did not want to be out in it this morning.

We are suppose to get some thunderstorms later today and I don't want to leave Rusty because he is so afraid of storms.

Last night I was out in it for a while to water the garden.  The potato plants were looking a bit burned from the heat.  They sure appreciated that drink, LOL.  I have a ton of tomatoes on the vines but all small and green yet.  Won't be long though!!

I hope you all have a great day.  Stay in the A/C if you can and drink plenty of water.  This is the type of weather that will bring on a heat stroke very quickly!!

Until next time,,,,,,,,Blessings!!

What would you do???

Greetings!!

What would you do if someone who claims to be "a devout Christian", who barely knows you, suddenly goes on the attack and judges you for something they have no first hand knowledge or proof of??  What if this person, tried to publicly humiliate you with these false accusations?  What would you do if this person is openly trying to destroy a church and is dragging you into it by these false accusations?

Does this person even sound like a Christian to you?  What would you do if this person told the Pastor of the church he was a bad Pastor because he allowed you, a sinner in the church?

I think most of us would get pretty hurt and probably angry if that happened to them.  But what does the bible say?  What would Jesus do?  How did Jesus handle it when it happened to him?  Yes Jesus was misjudged and persecuted to the point of crucifixtion.  But did he fight back?  No!!  He used the scriptures to back himself up in His righteousness.  When Satan tempted Him and persecuted Him He always started His reply with, "It is written".  Jesus used the word of God as His sheild. 

First we must realize who or what we are up against.  It is written in Ephesians 6:12  "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."  That scripture is telling me that this human that is attacking is being led or perhaps possessed by Satan or his demons.  They are being controlled by evil forces.

Ok, so now that we understand that it is not actually the person who might be attacking us but the evil forces behind him or her what do we do about it?  First off we need to pray for that person that they will turn away from evil and get back on the right path in following Jesus.  Oh yeah, that can be a hard pill to swallow sometimes.  But you need to ask God for help.  You must not fight evil with evil.  (See Matthew 5:43-48)  ⁴³Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. ⁴⁴But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; ⁴⁵That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? ⁴⁷And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? ⁴⁸Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

If you are like I was the first time I read this I was like, "what?  love even my enemy?  How on earth do you expect me to do that?  But actually you can do it and it can be easier each time you do it by focusing on what your rewards might be when you get to heaven.  And really, that is the most important thing.  Getting to heaven and finding the rewards that await you for being a faithful servant of the Lord!!

In Matthew 5: 10-12 it is written:  ¹⁰Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 ¹¹Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
 ¹²Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Rejoice!!!  Be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven!!  Wow, think about this a minute.  I told you there would be rewards in heaven and the scriptures tell you there will be great rewards in heaven.  Now does that make it a little easier to love your enemy?  To turn the other cheek?  To pray for your enemy?  It sure does me!!  Now that doesn't mean that I don't ever think about "wanting to get even" with someone who has wronged me.  But we must not act on those feelings.  And if we practice "turning the other cheek" and "not repaying evil with evil" eventually it will get even easier to not even think it when someone wrongs us.

Getting back to the person who said the Pastor was a bad Pastor for allowing sinners in church.  This was such a laughable statement in my mind at the time I heard it.  Do they not realize it is written, ^"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23 and 1Timothy 1:15 says, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"  and in Matthew 18:11   ^"For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost."

Be careful what you say and the false accusations you make against others because ¹⁶And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
 ¹⁷Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
 ¹⁸But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
 ¹⁹For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
 ²⁰These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. Matthew 15: 16-20  The words that come out of your mouth are what defile you.

Jesus was around sinners all the time.  That is who He sought.  Why then would he not want sinners in His church?  Remember we are ALL sinners.  We ALL need repentance and we ALL need to strive to walk His path, not our own.  You, yourself would not be allowed in church if there was to be NO sinners in church!!  The words you spoke to the Pastor that day defiled you.  You should seek forgiveness and repent of your sins.  Remove the log out of your own eye before you try to remove a sliver from another's eye.

Heavenly Father I pray that those who have ears will hear this message today and understand.  I pray for those who have appointed themselves gods and feel they have the right to judge others.  I pray Father that you open their hearts and their minds to you and your word.  I pray Father that you forgive them, for they know not what they do.  I pray Father that you give me the grace to forgive their sins against me.  In Jesus loving and precious name, Amen!!

Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!!

Singing for my Lord,,,,,,

Greetings!!

My its a beautiful morning!!  Thank you Father God for this beautiful day!!

As many of you know I love singing for my Lord and Savior in church.  I don't have the most beautiful voice but I sing from the heart and Jesus knows that and I am sure he smiles down at me when hearing me sing.  He says, "make a joyful noise".  That tells me He is not as much concerned about the voice itself but about what comes from the heart.

I have been practicing a song and learning the words to it because I plan on singing it as a solo one day soon in the church.  I just want to learn the words and music a little better before I do.  I first heard this song at a DOVE Domestic Violence Candle lighting ceremony a couple of years ago and fell in love with it.

I am going to try to embed it here from YouTube so you can hear what I am working on.

I hope you enjoy the song as much as I do.

Until next time,,,,,,,blessings!!

Partial obedience is disobedience,,,,,,

Greetings!

God has been teaching me some important lessons lately.  And I am finally paying attention!!  Through the trials and tribulations I have been going through the past few years God has been trying to show me what He wants me to do and I have not been completely following Him.  But that is now changing.  Let me explain.

I have felt a calling for many years to become a minister, a pastor, but I have not moved forward on that.  I have only been partially obedient to the Lord.  I have been very active in church.  I sing for the Lord.  I volunteer in out-reach programs.  I talk opening about Jesus.  But I have not moved forward in becoming an ordained minister.  I have been partially obedient.  I have done the things in the church that He wanted me to do, but I stopped short of doing EVERYTHING He wanted me to do.

I have said it before, sometimes God has to slap me upside the head to get my attention.  Believe me, He has done just that.  Like a ton of bricks coming at me at 90 miles an hour, He has got my attention now!!  I will be moving forward to get the education I need to become an ordained Minister.  I will preach where God leads me to preach.  I do not know where that will be.  I don't think He is going to show me until I step out on faith and get the education.  I have to obey this command first.

So when I talk to my employment specialist in the morning I am going to find out how to go about getting financial assistance to get my degree in bible studies and theology.  I am going to take that next step so I will be completely obedient to God.  I am going to move forward in my quest after God's heart to be completely obedient to Him and Him alone.

Now that I have determined myself to listen to the Holy Spirit and move forward in what God wants me to do, I have felt a peace come over me like none other.  I can walk through this valley of trials and come out the other side victorious in Jesus!!

Are you truly listening to God?  Are you obedient to Him?  Or have you only been partially obedient?  God has a purpose in life for each and everyone of us.  We must listen to Him and be completely obedient.  Partial obedience is just not enough.  Partial obedience is disobedience.

Until next time,,,,,,,,Blessings!

Get out of the boat,,,,,,,

Greetings!!

Many years ago a Pastor preached a sermon on faith called, "Get out of the boat".  That sermon stuck with me and has taught me many valuable lessons about faith and always keeping my eye on Jesus.  When we keep our eye on Jesus and do not let the turbulent times of the world distract us, we can do anything,, including walking on water.

There are a lot of good scriptures in the bible regarding having faith, including this one.  Please read with me Matthew 14: 22-33.  This is from the New King James Version.

²² Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. ²³ And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. ²⁴ But the boat was now in the middle of the sea,^[a] tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
²⁵ Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
²⁸ And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
²⁹ So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw that the wind was boisterous,^[b] he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
³¹ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³² And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
³³ Then those who were in the boat came and^[c] worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Take a good look at that scripture.  Peter had faith to get out of the boat and walk to Jesus.  He was walking on water.  But he let the turbulent waves distract him from Jesus and he began to sink.  In life today, we can get through those turbulent times in our lives that want to distract us and make us take our eyes off of Jesus if we just ignore them and keep focused on the Lord.

Jesus tells us, he will never leave us nor forsake us if we just call on Him.  He also says, Fear Not, for I am with you!!  We are told multiple times in the bible, Do Not Fear!!  So why do we??  Satan attacks us and constantly tries to put doubt in our minds, but do not listen to him, for he is the king of lies!!  Since the beginning Satan has always used doubt and lies as an attack to get us away from God.  The next time he attacks you and throws turbulent waves to distract your eyes from the Lord, focus on Jesus, say his holy name over and over and Satan will have to flee!!

I know, a lot of things are easier said than done.  It takes work, concentration and faith to keep Satan at bay when he attacks.  But it is not impossible!!  If he does manage to knock you down, pray while you are there, then get back up on your feet and move forward, trusting more and more in the Lord.  To build faith we need to be in fellowship with other faith believing people.  We need to support each other and encourage each other in their faith walk.  One a brother or sister in Christ has a weak moment we should not criticize but should support, encourage and lift him or her up in prayer.

It is my prayer that you grow stronger every day in your faith walk.  Trust in the Lord always, knowing that this time on earth is but a short one and you will have treasures in heaven for your obedience and faith.

Until next time,,,,,,,blessings!

A few pictures from our celebration,,,,,,,,

Greetings!

On Sunday my town had an Independence Day Celebration on the square down town.  I volunteered to take pictures before and after church.  I had hoped to stay to the end of the celebration at 5pm but unfortunately I got a bit too much sun and had to leave around 3pm.

The first pictures are of early morning when the "Tour DeWitt" bike ride kicked off.  Then I left for church and came back around 12:30 or so after church.  Even though I got sunburn and a touch of sun poisoning, as well as my fibromyalgia not liking me, I had a great time and am sure this will become an annual event.

Registering for the ride.

Getting ready for the start.

Lining up, almost ready to take off.  Better them than me, LOL.

And they're off.  The Radio Flyer Car is leading them out of town.

See ya in a few hours!!

DeWitt County Sheriff Jered Schofner in the dunk tank,,, boy was that water cold!!

Folks admiring the new water fountain Patrick Peterson designed.  Its on the square downtown, so very pretty!!

The kids enjoyed the face painting.

Pie eating contest.  There was also watermelon eating contests, bed races and a variety of activities.

Some of the live entertainment included Ron Devore and Modern Cowboyz

It was a great day and enjoyed by many.

Shout out of a job well done goes to the Clinton Celebration Committee!!  This is just a few of the nearly 200 pictures I took.  There were also other photographers taking pictures of the event for the committee.  I am sure they will have a great selection of pictures to go through.

Happy Birthday America!!!

Until next time,,,,,,,,Blessings!

My little garden of Weeden,,,,,,,,,,

Greetings!!

I decided today I would share some pictures of my little "Garden of Weeden", LOL.  Using the straw in a good portion of the garden has cut back a lot of the weeding duties but there is still some that has to be done.  Even though the garden got in really late this year most things are coming along pretty good and I am happy about that.

It was breezy so some of the plants were blowing a bit.  This is my patch of potatoes.  The straw serves two purposes, one to hold moisture in on the hot days and two by continually adding straw the potato plants will send off more shoots of potatoes.  They will actually grow in the straw.  The picture does not show it well but this pile is about 3 feet tall.  I should have a lot of potatoes this year.  Yummy!!

This is the tomato patch.  10 plants in all.  5 Romas and 5 Celebrities.  The Romas already have small tomatoes on them.  In front of the tomatoes I have a run of pickling cucumbers.  I will be doing a lot of canning this year for sure!!

Here is a better look at the cucumbers.  You can't see it in the picture but there is actually a small green fence in front of the cucumbers that will hold them up off the ground when they get bigger.

My corn got in so late, it should be a lot bigger by now.  I am not sure if I will get much out of it, if anything but I have decided to let it go and see what happens.  Hopefully I will get a few ears for my efforts, LOL

These are pole green beans.  I am going to train them to grow up the tomato cages.  Normally I would make a trellis for them but ran out of time this year as it was so late getting everything in with all the rain we had.

My garden season will be late in the year because of the late start we got, but for the most part everything is looking really good and I am happy with it.  :-)  I see I have a little bit of weeding to do early some morning next week but it is not nearly as much as it was before I threw the straw on the garden and I am grateful for that.  Having a garden, tending it and then putting up the produce for winter is all time consuming work, but it is a labor of love for me.  I really do enjoy doing it.  And what a joy, when the season is done, the canning is finished and you see all those pretty jars of food lined up on the shelves and you know with God's help, you did it all!!  It makes my heart sing!!!

Until next time,,,,,,,,,,Blessings!

Bible study and Amish style Whoopie Pies, LOL,,,,,,,,

Greetings!

We had a very awesome bible study last night at church.  It seems to be going to be a two part lesson from Ephesians 6: 10-18.  I think I will hold off saying too much about it until after next week's study.  Then I will try to condense down what we learned in this study.

As you know I usually make the refreshments for the evening.  I enjoy doing that.  Occasionally I will see if anyone would like to take a turn. 

Anyhow, I am an avid reader of 2 blogs about the Amish, Mennonites and other "Plain" people.  One is Amish America and the other is Amish Stories.  Well, over on Amish Stories there was the great debate about Whoopie Pies, the state of Maine claims to be the originating home of Whoopie Pies and so does the PA plain people.  We have had ongoing discussions from time to time about whoopie pies and recipes for whoopie pies.

So yesterday, I made whoopie pies for the refreshments at bible study.  Whoopie pies can come in many flavors.  You do not have to be tied to the traditional chocolate with white cream centers.  I made mine with a little twist, they were chocolate but I added chocolate chips to the batter before baking them.  I also made a cream cheese frosting type center to them.  Below are some pictures of the whoopie pies I made.  Everyone seemed to love them and I brought back very few out of the 2 1/2 dozen I made.  :-)

This one came out a little blurry, sorry about that, LOL.

So, I am sure Richard will have some comments today over at amishstories.com  because he loves whoopie pies and I am putting these pics up and he couldn't have any, LOL.  But he is my friend and I love him anyway, LOL.

Until next time,,,,,,,,,,,Blessings!!