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Morning Devotional...


Psalm 7:10, 11.  "My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart.  God is a just Judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day."

Have you ever been missunderstood because someone was spreading gossip and/or false rumors about you?  This psalm is your solution to that problem.  It provides a confidence-building revelation that there is an almighty Being Who CARES! 

The missunderstood psalmist was able and willing to "lay it all on the line" - to say, "Lord, if I'm guilty like they say, then I'm willing to lay my life before You, and I now offer myself into Your holy hands for absolute and final justice.

But the psalmist knows he isn't guilty, so he is then able to ask that God's justice be turned toward those who falsely accuse him - so that true justice will, after all, be done. 

It's important for us, too, to be assured that justice will indeed be done in this universe - that, in the end, things will be right.  And they will be!  Count on it!  Pray for it!  Praise the Judge!
Al Moak

QuoteHowdy all,  could you send up a prayer for Terry, my husband.  He is really depressed about his relationship with Jesus, and how he perceives it.  I've done all I know to do. (Pray!)  Thanks!

You can count on me to hold Terry before the throne in prayer ... our God is still an AWESOME GOD and He knows the thoughts and intents of the heart.  He will speak peace to Terry and bring him into a full realization of who he is in Christ.  I'm praying for you as well.

Samantha I am praying for you and terry as well.

Good Morning, I am off to Curves as soon as I get myself going around here this morning, I need to get dressed. Better go to Curves before Tai Chi and not after.

7:45 I have been to Curves for my workout, back home had my breakfast and shortly I will be off the the Senior Center for my Tai Chi class. i have a couple of calls to make later for my Univera (Ageless) business.

I am feeling great, lots of energy, flexible once again, and getting more active than I have been in a long time. My spirits are up, no depression I am gaining  more self esteem, looking better and feeling better. God is so Good and it is all about Him. I give honor to my Magnificent Father, He is so awesome!!

Later gators

I couldn't figure out why my email notification took me to Saturday and then I remembered that I couldn't get onto CP yesterday afternoon.   

Kitty and I had a great time Saturday.  Indiana University was having Homecoming Saturday and the game started at noon.  We ran into some traffic on the way toward Bloomington but when we got there, everything was fine.  Kitty is a 'turn left at the house with the pink door' navigator and when she went to IU, she didn't have a car...she walked everywhere.  So we got to IU Campus on trial and error.  But she found Wells Hall and we took pictures inside and outside of there and even ate pizza inside at the cafeteria.  Then we went to her mother's friends 93rd birthday party.  What an elegant lady.  She was dressed in her purple hat with red trim, a purple boa and a wild flowered print blouse.  She is beautiful inside and out.  Then we went to the Bedford cemetery for photos of statues and for Kitty to put flowers on her Grandparents graves.  Then back home.  I got home around 8:30 that night and the rest of the night was changing clocks!!! 

Church was great and I ate at McDonalds...some excitement.  A lady spotted a cockroach and then another one.  She said a bug so I didn't think much about it but then a gentleman told me a cockroach was coming my way.  I got up quick.  Someone killed one of them but the other one got away.  Manager said they didn't have any spray and they spray monthly anyway.  Well, they missed two!!  Guess who won't be going to McDonalds for awhile!!

I got home and noticed that Mother Nature raked my front yard...hardly a leaf there and my back yard was raked too.  But I saw a pile of leaves at the back door.  So I changed clothes and got my rake and raked the leaves off my rocks and into the grass.  Then got my mower out to mulch the leaves.  Guess what!!!  For some reason the leaves caught on fire under the mower deck!!!  I drove to an area with no leaves and let it burn out.  Then started it again and finished the mulching.  Excitement. 

Then Jake came and fixed my furnace so I had heat last night! 

My SIL called to tell me good bye this morning.  I took my trash over to their drive and they were just leaving.  So I told them all good-bye in person.  They will be in Florida until sometime in December and come back for two weeks and then back to Florida until April some time. 

That's it for Indiana news!!

Hi everyone. 

Don't know where the time has gone this morning but am eating lunch at the moment.  After coffee this morning my friend Rod came over to borrow something and while here he put in my new hard drive and I started the cloning process.  Unfortunately when I tried to boot from the new hard drive had a failure message so back to square one.  Just got back from Kroger's where I picked up a few grocery items.

Certainly sorry to read that Terry is struggling and I will keep him in my prayers. 

Etta Sue, sounds like quite a day your and Kitty had yesterday.  Hope the fire didn't damage your lawn mower.  I am fortunate in that we don't have many trees around her except at the back of the property.  Of course, I couldn't rake the leaves anyway but sure my lawn service would be more expensive if they had to deal with a lot of leaves. 

Marilyn, I am happy to read that you are feeling so much better and getting back into an exercise program.  You must have gotten up and out early this morning.

Hi Jane.

Nita, it sounds like your sister shouldn't be driving at night.  I have good eyesight but still don't like to drive at night.  The older we get the longer it takes our eyes to adjust to the changes in light from headlights and rainy roads are even more difficult.

Pat, I liked the picture of Ruthie, Janet and you in the tree.  It was an interesting setting.

It is a beautiful sunny and warm day here today.  The air is very clear.  Hope everyone has a good day.

I was here earlier today, and just about to post when the electricity "hiccuped" and my monitor went blank.  Powered up again; same thing!  So I shut down and waited until now.

Pat, thanks for the memories!  We had such fun with you and Ruthie!  Wish we could do that again.  And that was such a neat old tree.

I got to watch Extreme Makeover, Home Edition last night and enjoyed it so much.  So sad though that they follow such a wholesome show with rotten trash like Desperate Housewives.  Of course, I used the remote as soon as the title appeared.......

I had errands today, seems to happen every Monday.  Took Beth's dog for a visit, and the nurse aid told us there were some children there to sing for the residents, so we went to listen.  Well, almost as soon as the kids started singing, Mieka (dog) joined in!!  The kids thought that was pretty funny, but we got her shut up pretty quickly.  Beth has taught her to sing with her.....all she has to do is sing the first line of You Are My Sunshine, and Mieka puts her nose up and howls like crazy!  Pretty funny.

Usual Monday chores to finish, see you all later.

Samantha, you can add my prayers for Terry.  This walk, this journey into God's heart is filled with so many valleys and mountains, arid places, and thank the Lord, places of abundant showers.  I'm praying he will be able to feel the very real Presence of our Wonderful Lord and King, Brother and Best Friend, and can find refreshment and overflowing joy in the truth of how God sees him.  And as Jane said....can see who he is in Christ.

Father, cover Terry's heart with Yourself.  Speak what his heart needs to hear, and cause him to see You as You are, Lord.  Then let him see himself too, as he already is in Your eyes.  Thank you, Lord.  Not one of us could make it without your faithfulness and willingness to pick us up and hold us, carry us.   We lift Terry to you, Lord....with all our hearts.  In Jesus.  Amen

  Thank you and Bless you all for the prayers for Terry!  He seems to be having a better day than yesterday.

His health is still a big concern of ours, I just made him another appt. with the dr. to see about having a heart cath.  He still doesn't want to do it, but understands he is not any better.

Just checking in here I am off to watch the grands swim in a few minutes. Since it will be dark when I get there I am to call Gilbert and he will come and walk in with me . There have been a couple of assaults on the university campus recently. I think they go the guy but it is so nice to have a loving son to protect his Mama. I am taking my camera and some product for the kids to drink fore they swim. Also some for Gilbert in case he gets hungry.

Ahhh, Marlyn.  You are such a MOM and GRAMMA.    Hope you had fun with your family.  Nita

Hi,

This warm autumn hasn't given us much color, so I didn't get real autumn picts yesterday.  But there is a picture of a red bridge in the gallery you might enjoy.

Yesterday I heard a message on Romans 12:2.  It was a follow up from last weeks message on...you guessed it, Romans 12:1.

Here's the text.

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.  Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

In His Grip,
Kevin

We have the winners of our Autumn Colours Challenge!

CLICK HERE and congratulate the winners!

Janet, check your PMs!   

Thanks Nita.  It was fun to watch the kids swim. I am home now and ready for  bed.  Good Night.

We decided to continue posting here, since there weren't many posts today. 

I'm headed to my bed!  Goodnight, moon! 

Just saw the picture of Janet, Pat & myself up a tree in Queenston last summer.     Very good.   We had a fun time. 

Love Ruthie

A gloomy day here in Indiana.  Rain right now but they are saying it is to clear by evening so those costumed kids can get out. 

I am taking Nancy today so she can have surgery on her mouth.  She had a root canal several years ago and an infection has set up there and into her sinus'.  She says they will cut her gum, filet it back, clean out the infection and sew her back up.  She wants me to stay with them so I can supervise Walter handing out candy tonight.  That will be fun since Walter is like a kid himself. 

And Nancy doesn't think she will be up to going to IU tomorrow so I get to rest!  Resting I do really well!   

Hi, Ruthie!

Etta Sue, I used to love having the kids come trick or treating, even though I don't think Halloween is a good thing.  I used to tell them, "Okay, do your trick, then I will give you a treat" and that took them aback some!    We don't have any kids come to our house out here in the country.  Guess I should go hang out with a friend in town so I could see all the cute kids dressed up......hmmmm.....

My cat, Dinah, is getting more and more affectionate.  She wants to come in first thing in the morning for her treat of canned cat food, then she comes and jumps up into my lap for a loving session.  Her offspring is getting tamer every day.  She doesn't run from us any more, and allows us to pet her.  Today she came in and romped and played with her mama.  Gotta name that cat!!

Enough chatter!  I wish you all the blessings of God today.

Here is an encouraging little story:


Grace for Mothers and Others
by Roger Campbell

One of the most unforgettable calls I have ever received came from a
woman I had never met. This mother had endured such severe parental
pain that just hearing her describe it nearly moved me to tears.

Her son, at age 27, had died in prison of Leukemia only a few months
before he was to be released; a sad enough tale in itself, but that
was only the tragic end of her story.

At fifteen and intoxicated, my caller's son had ended the life of his
eighteen-year-old girlfriend. As a result, he became the first
fifteen-year-old in that state to be tried, convicted and sentenced
as an adult, resulting in a thirty-year prison term. Later, however,
due to his exemplary conduct and educational achievements while in
prison, he would have been paroled after twelve years. Then Leukemia
overruled the parole board, preventing this grieving mother from
bringing her son home alive.

"How did you survive?" I asked.

"By the grace of God," she replied.

My caller that day wasn't the first mother to have needed the grace
of God to make it through a severe trial brought on by one of her
children. Nor is she the only mother to become an innocent victim of
alcohol s devastating effect on her family.

John Newton, whose father ran a bar, brought great grief to his
mother, a devout woman of faith. Regardless of the bad reports about
her son, she kept praying for him; often while she labored over her
washboard.

John had left his home in England while very young, choosing the life
of a sailor. And, the news that floated home about him wasn`t good.
He had become involved in slave trading and fallen into such a vile
lifestyle that the "saved a wretch like me" line in the first stanza
of the hymn he later wrote is understandable.

John Newton traveled far but was never beyond the reach of his mother
s prayers. Then one day, during a storm at sea that he thought would
end his life, John remembered the faith of his mother and trusted her
Lord as his own.

After surviving the storm, John began to study the Bible and, at the
age of thirty-nine, was ordained to the ministry in the little
village of Olney, near Cambridge, England. His mother's prayers had
finally been answered.

Most of the congregational singing in Newton's day consisted of
Psalms set to music. John finally discovered that simple heart-felt
hymns added greater impact to his preaching, and when enough hymns
couldn't be found, he started writing his own. The most enduring of
these has been Amazing Grace, which is still a favorite of millions.

More than a decade ago, two hundred years after Newton introduced the
new song to his congregation, it was number one on the music charts.

There are even Amazing Grace groups that meet in prisons and other
places to talk about this old hymn and tell what it means to them,
unaware that their favorite hymn is a washboard tune, born before it
was written in the life of a praying mother who found God's grace
sufficient during a tough time.

What's so amazing about grace? It is the vehicle of God's love that
arrives at the door of the weak and undeserving, offering forgiveness
and new life. And, it s still available to mothers and others like
you and me.

--Roger Campbell

I appears that the Oct. 30,31 thread is not letting me post there, Did it get locked up or what.

Wellsince Ican't post thre here I am I have made a Macaroni and Cheese casserole to take to Jan's for lunch today.

My kids will be coming by tonight and I  hope I have plenty of candy fo the other's who come. There is a Harvest festival going on at the church called Trick or Trunk and there will be games etc there. But I am not going. The youth is also doing an outreach  at the same time.


TTYL

Sorry, folks.

I guess this was locked in error.

It's unlocked now.

A few glitches this morning.  We "fired" an environmental company that was to test samples of our vinyl flooring in the kitchen for asbestoes.  Over two weeks & they mentioned 3 days - so Don wrote to them via email and I took the call from them (to keep Don's blood pressure from rising).  Now, we have to do the work ourselves - am not a happy camper. 

Well, it isn't a life-threatening thing so nothing to get upset about. 

Janet:  Reading the stories about the prodigal sons - really touching stories. 

Carol

Hi everyone.  We started the day out very sunny and warm but now it has turned a bit gloomy outside and it is cooling down.  I had a busy morning including getting a haircut (which I really needed) and voting early for the general election.  In our State you can go to designated voting places (3 in our county) the week before election day and cast your ballot.  It is not absentee balloting and you don't have to state a reason.  There was no waiting and there were many races being contested and ballot initiatives on which to vote.

Unexpectedly around 10:45 our step grandson, whom we hadn't seen in a long time, stopped by and visited with us a couple of hours.  We had become concerned that we wouldn't see him again as it had been so long.

This evening we are going to another of those birthday celebrations with members of our Sunday School class to celebrate the birthdays of two of the men in the class.  We are  going to a Cajun style restruarant.  We have been there before several times and the food is always good.

I don't know whether we will get home in time for the trick and treaters but have the candy ready in case.  Last year we must have had about 75 kids come to the door and some of them were so cute.  One of the churches not far from here is having the Trunk or Treat event in their parking lot and that sounds like a very good idea and much safer than the kids being out on the streets in the dark.  Of course, I don't think a single child came to the door last year without a parent at the end of the walk or right at the door with them and that was something I was glad to see.

Carol, sorry to read that the people you were counting on let you down.  It sounds like it will be a lot of work to remove the flooring in your kitchen.

Janet, your cats are no dummies.  They are getting you trained the way they want you to be and I speak from experience.

Etta Sue, it is nice of you to stay with Walter to help with the evening. 

Marilyn, glad that your son was thoughtful as you can't be too careful when you are out, especially after dark.

Someone sent this to me yesterday and I thought it was very nice so wanted to share it with my friends here on CP:



The story goes that some time ago a mother punished her five year old daughter for wasting a roll of expensive gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and she became even more upset when the child used the gold paper to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.

Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her mother the next morning and then said, "This is for you, Momma."

The mother was embarrassed by her earlier over reaction, but her anger flared again when she opened the box and found it was empty. She spoke to her daughter in a harsh manner.

"Don't you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something inside the package?"

She had tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Momma, it's not empty! I blew kisses into it until it was full."

The mother was crushed. She fell on her knees and put her arms around her little girl, and she begged her forgiveness for her thoughtless anger.

An accident took the life of the child only a short time later, and it is told that the mother kept that gold box by her bed for all the years of her life.

Whenever she was discouraged or faced difficult problems she would open the box
and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each of us, as human beings, have been given a Golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and GOD. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.[/color]



Till next time.

I think the glitch today was likely my fault.  I was just ready to lock the door (and guess I had already) when Pat suggested we just add today's date to yesterday's NEM.  I apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Larry, I neglected to mention how happy I am to hear that your daughter visited with you and even attended church with you again.  God is working!!  And so glad you got to visit with your step grandson too.  I love the story of the gold box.  I cry every time I read that one.

I painted today.  My painting group is meeting in Great Bend on Saturday, and this is the month to bring back the wood pieces we drew last year, all painted, and give back to their owners.  So I have been painting red and pink tulips on a pair of adult sized wooden shoes.  For some reason, I really struggled with this project.  I redid them about four times before I was satisfied.  Still not the greatest thing I've ever done, but will have to do.    I worked on them yesterday and some the day before, too.

My buddy Pat colored and cut my hair today.  What a good friend she is! God bless her.

I think I will go do my nails.  See you later!

I just checked and it is November 1st.  Trying to trick me?

Larry:  What a nice day for you to have your step-grandson stop in for a long visit.

I am supposed to exercise my new lens in the left eye after cataract and bellieve me it is really difficult to read what I am typing. 

Carol

Howdy Did someone forget to post a new NEM for Nov. 1st.

Flu shots today at the Senior Center so no Tai Chi they are using the big room for he Flu shots.  Going for my workout about 7 AM.

Later

Walter had a ball passing out candy!   He is a child himself at times so he really loved the kids coming and in their costumes. 

Nancy told me that she would be in surgery for 2 hours so I was to take Walter to a steakhouse for lunch but be back by 3pm.  So we were eating at the steakhouse and the hostess came up to me and said Nancy called.  She is out of surgery and wants us to get back there as soon as possible.  So we hurried, paid the bill and left.  Nancy was pretty groggy yet.  When we got to the house after the drug store for pain pills, she was wobbling all over the place.  But she was feeling no pain and didn't even realize she was wobbly.  So I insisted that she lie down and sleep for awhile.  The phone rang three times.  She answered it but only remembers talking the last time.  Her surgery was at 1pm and I didn't leave there until 7:45pm but I was sure that she was okay and could get Walter to bed okay, too. 

Today is gloomy, cold (40°F) and overcast.  I need to go to the bank.  Kitty's granddaughter...7 months old...is at her house so I may go play with Katie.  I haven't met Katie yet! 

And I have made reservations for next Thursday night for Ivalou and I to go to Portland, Indiana.  I am finally going to use my prizes for winning 2nd in the Indiana Historical Society Photo Contest last May!!

I think Earthlink must be down...my animations aren't showing today.  Edit:  Maybe the cyberspooks got them and gave them back!  I see them now!

I didn't get to see any little ghosties or goblins, decided to stay home last night.  However, on NCIS (Darrel's favorite shoe) there were some.

Today is Red Hats Luncheon.  And tonight is musical practice and church.  Always something, huh?

I wish a lot of our members who used to post would come back and post.  It gets discouraging for the owner of this site when there isn't much activity here.  So if you know someone you could encourage to come back, that would be great.  Thanks.

We bought a silk comforter while we were in China.  It is made from the double cocoons of the silk worms, they just stretch the fibers out to the needed size, then cover them in a cotton cover.  We bought a silk duvet cover to put over it.  Anyway, I put it on our bed this week, and it is wonderful!  Darrel is amazed there are no cold spots anywhere he can reach with his feet, and he doesn't need an extra blanket on his legs anymore.  And of course, it is light weight.  Nice! 

Etta Sue, what a good friend you are!  God bless you for your caring and giving heart. 

See you later!

Hi everyone.  We have another beautiful day here and it has warmed up nicely.

We had Bible study with our minister this morning and there was a good crowd of retired folks in attendance.  We were talking about Salvation.  After the study several of the men went to Dunkin' Donut and the ladies went to their craft meeting as they are getting ready for a sale of crafts in early December.  I came home and have just finished lunch.  We seem to have had a power outage while I was away as the computer had rebooted and my radio indicated a power outage. 

Tonight is choir practice.  We have started working on our Christmas music and it is a new work called Candles and very pretty and meaningful.

Hello everyone.

I have had a busy few days and am also battling a cold again.

I must go, phones are ringing...Have a great day everyone.