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Morning Devotional...



John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."

Colosians 3:3-4"For ye have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.....Christ .....is our life"

Also I John 1:2, 5:11-12.

How glorious, then, is the blessing which every one receives who believes in the Lord Jesus.  Not only does there come a change in disposition and manner of life; he also receives from God out of heaven an entirely new life.  He is born anew, born of God; he has passed from death into life.

This new life is nothing less than eternal life.  This does not mean, as many suppose, that our life shall now no more die, enduring into eternity.  No, eternal life is nothing less than the very life of God, the life that He has had in Himself from eternity and that has been visibly revealed in Christ.  This life is now the portion of every child of God.

This is the life of inconceivable power. Whenever God gives life to a young plant or animal, that life has in itself the power of growth, whereby the plant or animal as of itself becomes large.  Life is power.  In the new life - that is , in your heart -  there is the power of eternity.  More certain than the healthful growth of any tree or animal is the growth and increase of the child of God who in reality surrenders himself to the working of the new life.

Basically, two things hinder this power and the reception of the new spiritual life.  One is ignorance of the nature of this life- its laws and workings.  Man even the Christian, has of himself not the least conception of the new lilfe that comes from God;it surpasses all his thoughts. His own perverted thoughts of the way to serve and to please God - namely, by what he does and is - are so deeply rooted in him that, although he thinks he hat he understands and receives God's Word yet he thinks humanly and carnally on divine things.  Not only must God give salvation and life; He must also give the Spirit to make us know what He gives.  Not only must he point out the land of Canaan and the way there; we must also, like the blind, be led every day by him.

The young Christian must try to cherish a deep conviction of his ignorance concerning the new life and of his inability to form right thoughts about it. This will bring him to the meekness and to the childlike spirit of docility to which the Lord shall make His secret known.

There is a second hindrance in the way of faith.  In the life of every plant and every animal and every child there lies sufficient power by which it can grow.  In the new life, God has made the most glorious provision of sufficient power whereby His child can grow and become all that he must be.  Christ himself is his life and his power of life. Yet, because this mighty life is not visible or cannot be felt but works in the midst of human weakness, the young Christian often becomes of doubtful mind.  This second hindrance, then, is that he fails to believe that he shall grow with divine power and certainty.  He does not understand that the believing life is the life of faith whereby he recons on the life that is in Christ for him, although he neither sees, feels, or experiences anything.

Let everyone then that has received this new life cultivate this great conviction: It is eternal life that works in me; it works with divine power; I can and shall become what God will have me be; Christ himself is my life; I have to receive Him everyday as my life given by God to me, and He shall be my life in full power.

O my Father, who hast given me Thy Son that I may have life in Him, I thank Thee, teach me to know aright this new life.  I will acknowledge my ignorance and the perverted thoughts which are in me concerning Thy service.  I will believe in the heavenly power of the new life that is in me; I will believe that my Lord Jesus who himself is in my life, will by His Spirit teach me to know how I can walk in that life.  Amen

Taken from The New Life by Andrew Murray

It looks like I'm first to post on this brand new week.

Judy, what a wonderful devotional!  Eternal Life working in us....and it's God's own power that causes this Life to flourish.  "Christ himself is my life".   How blessed we are. I've always liked Andrew Murray's writings and his heart for God.

My computer is working again.  I guess you can tell that. lol

I'm right behind you, Nita.   

I'm really, really, really glad you got your computer up and running again!   

Thank you, Jane. 

Hi everyone.  I will once again post early as have a busy day planned.  We are having a choir work day starting at 11 am.  I will go for a couple of hours and take my laptop with a memory stick.  Our director said she has a small printer.  I do not have a printer that I can take with the laptop but it is easy to transfer files. 

At 1 pm I have my weekly men's luncheon.  This week we are going to Baby Jane's buffet again.  Fortunately it is only a  a couple of blocks from the church.  Around 2:15 or 2:30 I am meeting a friend and we are going to go over to Decauter, which is maybe 10 miles or so away, to pick up some material.  I will be ready to come home and rest and have a quiet evening.

Pat spent a good part of the day yesterday sleeping.  She did correct my understanding that it wasn't her foot cramping all night (although she had some of that) but she just couldn't sleep as her mind was racing about a new quilt she is starting and trying to figure out. 

Today the housekeeper and yard people should be here so things will be nice looking again. 

Judy, thanks for the fine devotional and getting us started for the new week.

Nita, nice to see that you have your computer back in working shape.

Ruth, I agree it would be nice to visit in our son's home but in the almost 30 years he has been on his own we have been invited to his home only maybe 5 times.  Of course, he has been to our home many times.  We just have to deal with what is and not what we wish it was. 

Carol, glad to read that Don is feeling better.

To those of you who aren't sewers, this staying awake at night is a common thing.  I have 3 pieces of beautiful material and have lain awake at night thinking about what I would do with this material.  Also there is a bolt of cashmere that I would like to make into a suit.  This is a common phenomenon for us. 

Larry I am sorry about the leg cramps, and let her know from me it is at our age that we cannot afford to do that any more...we need our rest.

Carol glad there is some relief for Don.

We have an overcast day here, quite warm, looks like it is setting up for rain.

Must run.

Yesterday was nap day and therefore, last night I wasn't sleepy!  But the nap was heavenly! 

I have already been to the grocery in Lapel for broccoli and a package of cole slaw.  I will be making Spaghetti Slaw to take to Euchre tomorrow.  Then when I got home I hosed down the deck.  It really needs a bleaching and scrub brush to it but not now.  I already have the VCR that was in my bedroom ready for the trash and will probably put the TV in the trash also.  I was going to put the DVD player in the bedroom but that TV only has a coax connection and the DVD player has the audio/video cables.  Oh, well!  I haven't watched TV in the bedroom for years!!!

Kind of overcast today with some sunshine once in a while.  Kitty is at the State Fair.  She was there yesterday and it was soooo hot.  Today should be better!

I had 2 loads of laundry on the and suddenly a burst of rain now it is in the dryer, something to make life exciting   

I have 6 loaves of bread ready to put into the oven...just waiting for them to rise a bit more.  More peas and beans canned. 10 loaves of zucchini bread in the freezer.  We are getting there. 

We have 86 acres here where we live. Our aim is to be self sufficient in 5 years.  We are putting an addition on the barn/garage and will keep layers and a rooster there, we are also looking into getting some sheep and goats.  The goats for their milk/butter and the sheep for meat  Add ti that chickens for meat and a few turkeys.......
Next year we are doubling the garden.  More potatoes, add some corn and double the rest of the veggies we will be set with produce. 

Ruth isn't that always the way with the weather this year... Looks sunny, hang up the clothes and the next thing you know it rains!    I am thankful for the drier as I am sure you are,

Got to go, be back later.

Nice devotional Judy.

Larry, windows updates did in my computer in a big way on Friday.  I started to have problems and lost my audio device.  Tried many things after a system restore didn't solve the problem.  Then finally admitted defeat and did a total system recovery.  That was fun.  The windows program svc. pk. 2 has to be installed before internet security can be used.  Trying to beat the hackers and viruses while doing this is great fun!  I finally got things working and this morning switched back to my AVG paid install online....only it wouldn't do the firewall.  Many emails later (AVG used to have a phone service tech. and now only can use email....economy (?).  After 3 failed attemps, they finally gave me the correct data via another email.  Could have done that in the first place.  Now everything is working fine except my audio device never came back.  Probably lost somewhere in the register.  

Long story ends with my finally having to get a computer geek tomorrow to rescue it.  I thought it might mean a new sound card and updated drivers.  We shall see.  He is real good as my SIL used him to connect a printer to his wireless connection.  This fellow gives a $25.00 reduced fee if one gives him items for our food bank.  No problem as I do that anyway.  He seems to think it will be a modest charge....I hope that is the case.  Feel like I have been taking a walk through Hades without a safety net!  What was once simple has become a horror due to Microsoft.  Shaw cable guy came with a new router for my internet as they have again changed their system.  He said that Microsoft is deliberately trying to do in XP and Vista with their updates in order to force us to use Windows 7.  Hah!  I am not the brightest bulb in the attic, but not knitting with one needle yet.....Any suggestions on what we can do to outsmart them?  Most of the programs will not keep working without the nec. updates.  Virus trouble everywhere.


I am really tired and must go up island on Wed. to visit.  My girlfriend is coming to get me....i think she needs a break from hubby and pets.  It is a 1 1/2 hr. drive.  We are going to go to Saltspring island first.  Should be fun as the weather is nice.


Time to go and rest.  Pleasant Day/Evening and God Bless.
Liz

How weird that people are  having trouble with the Microsoft updates on Win XP I have never had a problem with any of the Microsoft updates. I have Windows One Care on both our computers.

Had the mammo this morning things must be OK because the didn't call me to come back.

Marilyn, I think this is happening mostly to older machines.  Windows is making the updates so large that it is becoming a problem for the memory.  My Sony VAIO is 6 yrs. old and is fairly powerful, not as much as newer machines.  I will be speaking to the computer Geek about things tomorrow.  Have turned off auto updates for now and will see how things go.  All the security programs and many others, have also become very large to handle the necessary demands in fighting virus, hackers, etc.  I only have 224 MB of Ram.  That used to be enough for my purpose......things change....

Liz

Liz, I think you've hit the nail on the head.  This has to be the problem with my (very) old machine.     I just don't have the amount of memory needed to keep on line like I used to be able to.  In fact, I just now had to reboot to clear the memory so I could come here.  Ah well ...... such is progress.  Not only is my machine old, it's owner is too!   

Another bright and sunny day after some rain during the night.  At least, my bathroom screen has raindrops on it. 

Today is Euchre at my neighbor Jane's home.  I know that will be fun.  We usually eat first and then play cards and then have dessert but this is a pitch-in and Jane said we will play cards then eat and have dessert.  Makes more sense to me since we start at 3pm!  The other way is you don't know whether to eat lunch or not and before you go to bed, you are hungry again!

Barb called last evening and Ivalou and I went with her to Steak 'n' Shake for supper.  And we came right back home.  Usually Barb has a half a dozen places to go before returning to home.

Hi everyone from an overcast Georgia.  We did have a nice rain here last night.  Our yards and the foliage is unbelievable this year after our years of drought.  Everything is very lush and green, more like you see in spring.  Usually things are beginning to turn brown by this time of year.  This is a welcome change.

Liz, I do not believe that Microsoft is deliberately fouling up our computers but there are so many different configurations and type of computers that these things happen.  I have since gone back and was able to install the updates.  Why it worked the last time and not before I haven't a clue.  Marilyn, I also use One Care but that program is no longer going to be available after our current subscriptions expire.

Not much on the agenda.  I walked only about 1/2 mile this morning as that was all I felt like doing.  The humidity is high here today.  I do have a meeting this morning but that should do it for today.  I am ready for a quiet day after the busy day I had yesterday. 

Hope everyone has a good day.

I am going to try to keep today as a relaxed day, to keep John sitting.  Please check Prayer and Praise.  There is no produce waiting to be picked, and dealt with so I may be able to pull this off.  Doug has the lawn tractor so we don't have mowing to do. 

We had a really heavy rainfall this morning.  The grass like Larry's is lush and green.  The local farmers went nuts  cutting and bailing hay, hope they got most of it before the rain hit.  Mind you the heat will dry things out and they will be able to keep going at it.

Just heard two young fellows on Focus on the Family.  They have written a book, "Do Hard Things, A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations", by the Harris Brothers.  WOW is all I can say.  If you can go online and hear the podcasts it would be well worth your while.

Got to go Phone is needed.

Liz, Jane and Larry my Dell was purchased in October of 2003, I have  upgraded the memory for  what it came with to a full  gig.  I was told by the tech that I can upgrade even more, but  I chose not to at this time.

I purchased mine in January, 2001.  It has 255.0 MB RAM, is running WinME on dial-up.  I just checked and presently have 59% free.  What can I say?

Speaking of computers,we just bought this laptop maybe six weeks ago, and already it is giving me problems. For one thing, my FAVORITES button has disappeared, and I don't know where to find or recover it, and also, the space bar is sticking.  

What a difference a day makes!  A friend is a judge here; her mother is in the care home where Beth and Mom live; I visited with her and asked her if she could get me some names of attorneys who handle medical malpractice cases.  She sent me three names.  Yesterday I started calling them, and the third one I called, the receptionist put him right on the phone.  (The others took information, said they would see if he was interested and have him call, if so.)

When this man asked me the name of the doctor who did Beth's surgery and I told him, he said, "Dr. _______?  The one from Pratt??"  I said, " Oh, so you know this guy!"  His answer was yes, he knows this guy, has already sued him twice and won.  He also told me this doctor was in a car accident a few years back; claimed he had permanent nerve damage and was no longer able to do surgery, sued the insurance
company for big bucks, won, collected, then immediately got another doctor to say he was able to do surgery again, and went right back to doing surgery.  So he is not an honest man in the first place.  The lawyer said, "This guy needs to be stopped!"  He emailed me forms to fill out and sign, and I sent him my DPOAs for Beth, and now he can start collecting information:  hospital records, bills, doctors' statements, etc.  When he has all of that, he will have an "expert" evaluate the care Beth was provided.

So, the process has begun.........I hope it will not prove to be too contentious or take a very long time.

Needless to say, all of this has consumed my time and attention for quite a few hours.  And today I attended a Town Hall Meeting with one of our Representatives. That was interesting, and worthwhile.  Of course all of our guys agree with us, and are working hard for us, unlike those who say they don't care what the people say, they are going to vote yes on the health care mess.  It was a standing room only crowd. And it closed with prayer for God to give our elected officials wisdom, and protect our freedoms. A good meeting.

This afternoon we attended another funeral.......

Sunday morning, we will get up really early, go load up Beth and head to Garden City to pick up John!!  Beth is so excited!!  And I am planning a birthday bash for her on the 28th.  So I have been busy.

So good to catch up with all of you, sorry not to respond to each of you this time.

Well, the computer and I are very happy buddies again.  I increased to 736 MB of Ram and if desired, can still increase.  It is not desired at this time.

He is a really good guy.  Put in a new sound card, updated drivers, cleaned and put in a new battery.  Got rid of things I didn't want on my register....it is working like a new machine.  All it cost was $207.00, plus a few things for the food bank.  He also said that register cleaners are not much use and not really necessary.  Put on Cleanup if I want to use it sometime.  So no more sound problem, etc.       

Good luck Janet.  You are probably going to be in for a few headaches.

I didn't mean that Microsoft was using flawed updates, Larry.  Meant that they are overloading our systems with all their updates. 

Time to go and pack my things for tomorrow.  Sure can use a change for a change!!

Pleasant Day/Evening and God Bless.

Liz

Most unexpected thing just happened.  Dana our Doberman jumped up on my shoulder and pushed her face into mine.  Rested there for a minute and then got down ever so gently and went back to her bed!

John's leg is worse again.  I expect he will be back in hospital if things keep going as they are right now.

We have another hot night ahead of us tonight. No complaints here though,  much preferred to the cold.

Well John is heading off to bed.  I am off as well. May be back if sleep is difficult.

Judy - I can sure sympathize with John's situation, having gone through much of it myself for the last two or two and a half years.  I pray our Father would give special wisdom and insight to the doctors, and I pray our Father will grant healing and blessing to John - through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you Al

Rough night, please check prayer and praise.

I just got back from Tipton, Indiana.  Ivalou takes her car there for maintenance.  This time she got brake pads and rotors rotated in the front and the back brakes cleaned, also the transmission fluid flushed, oil changed and greased.  Costly.  We walked to the Pizza Shack for lunch.  A lady said 3 blocks...more like 6 blocks and then walked back.  Ivalou paid for the work and before we were out of town, the Low Tire Pressure light came on.  At least now I know what to do if that happens again.  Ivalou says that nearly everytime they do anything to her car, a light on the dash comes on and she has to go back.

Well, I am resting now and then I am going to sweep the house.  Then this evening I want to mow my yard.

Hi everyone.  It is a hot and sunny afternoon.  Just got up from a rest and while I was doing so I listened to the beginning of a book I downloaded from the library and put on my iPod.  It was written by Ed McMahon reflecting on his life with Johnny Carson.  Those two really liked each other and worked together for many years.

This morning I went to Bible Study.  Pat didn't go as after she did her shower and fixed her hair she was too tired and knew she had a luncheon appointment with a friend and it would be too much for her.  This evening I have choir practice. 

Judy, so sorry to hear that John's leg is not getting better.

Etta Sue, isn't it a shame that it is necessary to return a car to the garage after having maintenance e done.  They must not have reset something that needed resetting.  I have that low tire pressure monitor on our new car but so far it hasn't gone off.

Liz, glad you got your computer fixed up to your satisfaction.  I am afraid I had misunderstood what you had written concerning Microsoft.  Thanks for the clarification.

Janet, you are certainly doing the right thing in pursuing the law suit.  This doctor sounds like a menace to society and certainly shouldn't be doing surgery.  I am sure it will not go quickly as the insurance company will do everything they can to drag it out in hopes you will tire of it and give up the case.  Hold your ground.  It sounds like the facts speak for themselves.  Our daughter persisted in her workmen's comp case and reached a settlement with them but it was a long and drawn out affair.  On your laptop, try looking under the view menu and toolbars and I think you will see that the bookmark menu has been turned off.  The sticky space bar is another matter but you should have full warranty coverage on it for a year since it was new.

Jane, all I can say is that I am glad I have a little more computing power than you described.   

Marilyn, I remember when you purchased your computer in 2003.  If you are satisfied with its speed there is no reason to upgrade the RAM.

Larry I have already upgraded it twice from the original amount of ram it came with, I went from 256 to  installing two 512 mgs cards. They told me I could go with  two  1 gig cards next if I want to.

  Larry - talking about Pat

Quotebut she just couldn't sleep as her mind was racing about a new quilt she is starting and trying to figure out.

  I thought it was so funny but true.  I got my Bernina back and wonder of wonders, the 5 year warranty was still in effect so that saved me about $550 for the embroidery board.  I wouldn't have had that put in if I knew it could have been that expensive. 

JudyB:  I wrote in Prayer & Praise to you and John. I will check back in here for word from you.   

Liz:  Where do you go "up island"?  Have not heard but your heat wave must be over by now.  You live on a beautiful island but it is being overrun by tourists - very nice area. 

Yesterday, I went to our church for a meeting with the Kingdom Knitters - like that title!  They have the chairs in a circle, the view in the room is incredible of the mountains, and there is even a fireplace for I sure look forward to knitting in there during a freezing day.  Started my prayer shawl - I forgot to pray over it before taking up the needles but managed to cast on the yarn alright.  There is a special prayer that we read at the beginning of each new gift and at the end - then, the item is prayed over before being available for anyone to choose and give to someone in grief - someone who needs a hug and a prayer.  Yarn is donated.  A really nice gal gave me yarn to start and I ended up choosing two other skeins of contrasting colors - you know us quilters are so fussy about our colors  - anyway, I met three women yesterday and they meet twice per month & just knit (not gossip) so as long as it isn't gossip, I will go and knit my blood pressure down - thankful for this quiet place to go. 

Carol, I'm afraid I would knit my blood pressure UP!  (I'm not a knitter at all!)  Sounds like a lovely place and a lovely group with which to sit quietly and work.

Thanks, Larry, I will see if I can find anything.  I surely haven't turned off my favorites. 

Liz, so glad you got your computer all tuned up again, I'm sure that will lessen your aggravation a lot.

We worked on Beth's house and garage again today, can actually feel we might get done before too long now.

I'm going to read Judy's post in Prayer and Praise.