Christian Photographers Community

Come and join us this week and share with us your plans and thoughts for the week!  We sing, share and encourage other members here.

Hope to see you posting this week!

• Prayer and Praise     Thanks for visiting this area of our site to share prayer requests and items for praise!

Morning Devotional...





How often do you want to "get even?"

The Lord despises double standards of every kind.

Proverbs 20:10 NLT

Never pay back evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible. Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, "I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it," says the Lord.
Romans 12:17-19 NLT

Don't say, "I will get even for this wrong." Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.
Proverbs 20:22 NLT


God's measure



How often do we see the evil around us and pray for God's justice? We wonder, Why does God allow this evil to go on! This kind of thinking leads to two of the most common double standards: (1) judging others more harshly than we judge ourselves, and (2) believing God should judge others but remain lenient with us.

The Lord despises double standards because they elevate one person at the expense of others. These man-made standards also lack the mercy of God.

In our cry for fairness, we should not forget the frightening consequences of justice. As sinners, God could justly destroy each of us today for missing the mark of perfection. When we remember that God's patience and mercy block his judgment towards us, we will more likely show others patience and mercy.

WISE WAYS  Before you rush to judge another person, ask yourself whether you would be able to endure the same standard.

Back to the question, "How often do you want to "get even?""  Ever feel like you are loosing the battle with forgiveness?

Losing

Oops!  It appears I posted too soon.  Hope at least Larry and Chrisle will read the post I did a few minutes ago.

Sorry Janet.  YOu could copy and paste it into today's thoughts.  Go to Modify ccopy what you wrote and then repost on today's ..I would have been done before you posted if my puter didn't have a mind of its own!

I got a call this morning from my friend who passed away in Mexico's sister, Carole.  She is wanting to have a 'Celebration of Life' for Rex January 26th in Lapel.  She said she just couldn't wait until spring so it will be this January. 

Church was great and Sunday School was great.  Five of us ladies went to Applebee's for lunch and then home.  I know Ivalou needed a nap and I got a much needed nap also! 

Then TV for the evening.

Today I am doing some laundry while watching the sun shine. 

Then when I take Ivalou's mail to her, I want to start her car to make sure it still goes!  It hasn't been started for about a month!

We returned from visiting a cousin late yesterday.  My back is still "out" but better and I did take a walk.  This is something I rarely experience.  Tomorrow is knitting group and I am still working on a long sweater - this is now the 2nd. year of it so you can imagine how much this interests me. 

Concerns about friend's health and other things - let go, let God! 

Take care. 

Just a short note tonight to ask for prayers for Darrel, as we go to Amarillo tomorrow to see about his heart.  God bless you all!

Carol, prayers for you.  I know it is difficult to have back issues when you are used to feeling good all the time (Most,anyway) so I will be praying for you.

Bonnie A sent me the most beautiful email..

Good morning folks!  This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it!

John spent the evening and night in Montreal.  The temperatures were way down last night, however during the night things got better and it is considerably warmer today. We had a lot of wind here as well as cold.  I do believe that brought in the warmer weather.  Not enough for a melting of the snow, but enough to use less wood in the furnace.

I watched a western last night, it was a long one about moving hundreds of horses from Oregon to Montana.  I was most interested in the end credits.  It was a true story about a family, in Montana's history, back in the early 1900"s.  Names were changed, but the facts were kept to the truth.  "Broken Road" was the name, I am wondering if there is a book written about it. I wouldn't have a clue who the author would be though.

Time to sing!

Please check Prayer and Praise, There are new prayer requests there.

Hi everyone.  This has turned out to be an interesting day for us.  Pat had a 10 am appointment in Atlanta with the Orthopedic doctor about her knee. After talking with her and looking at a recent x-ray he wanted an x-ray of her hip, which they did.  It is the hip that needs to be replaced and that is scheduled for February 25th.  We will have to go down for a pre-op appointment on February 12th.  He said the knee looks pretty good and the hip replacement may solve the problem with him.  When we left the doctor's office we called Stacey and she met us at a nearby dining place and we all had lunch.  We are celebrating her birthday early this year but if she feels up to it and the weather is OK we will bring her out around January 31st, her actual birthday for an overnight visit and a little further celebration.  We had a good trip down and back from Atlanta and I had a nice nap when we got home for an hour or so.

Judy, I think I forgot to express my appreciation for the devotional thoughts for this week.  Thank you.  I tried to find if there was a book by the title of that movie but had no lunch searching.

Larry it certainly sounds as though your day was full!  Good that the doctor found that the real trouble for Pat is her hip, not her knee, before the wrong procedure was done!  So nice that you could meet with Stacey for lunch and celebrate her birthday early.  I hope things will work out for her actual birthday.   

Some of our snow has started to melt and it looks as though most of it will be gone by the end of the week.  Temperatures for the next few days are expected to be in the mid to upper 30's!!!

It has been a long time since I was last here but here I am saying hello to everyone.

I went to the chiro. earlier this afternoon to have my bones put in place for another month.

Dinner is in the oven so I had better go and check it out, cannelloni and butternut squash.

Busy day today.  Haircuts, lunch, Big Lots, home and me back to Noblesville to the pool.   I got something to eat at Arby's and home again.  Trash is out for tomorrow pick-up! 

I went to Ivalou's to get her trash and she had fallen asleep in the chair.  She said she was tired and decided to sit down and rest awhile and fell asleep.  The TV wasn't even on!! 

Now I am in and nothing to do tomorrow! 

Yay!!

It was in the 40's today so quite a bit of snow has melted.  I still have drifts in the yard but I can get to the garage and the mailbox without walking on snow now!  My red car is in a badly need of a wash job!  Red on top and gradients down to brown!!

Hi Everyone...

I got to Winchester at about 3 pm yesterday afternoon.  I had a terrible trip down with snow, freezing rain and rain and ice and muck from I-90 in Buffalo all the way south to Ridgeway, PA.  What usually takes just over 4 hours to drive took me 10 hours so I stopped at a Super 8 motel in Clairfield, PA to sleep for the night.  I'm so happy I did.  Then yesterday, I had a leisurely drive further south to here.

Glad you stopped Pat.  Better safe than sorry.

Larry the movie was Broken Trails, my mistake.  I love history put to film. 

Let us meditate on what all Christ has done for us as we prepare for the night!

Pat, it is great to hear from you and know you are safe and sound in Wincester.  You certainly chose the worst kind of weather for your drive.  Are you and Paul still planning on going to Florida to visit some of his family?

We are leaving on Thursday morning early, Jeanne, for Daytona. 

Good to know, Pat.  I'll keep you on top of the list for travel mercies!     By the way, how is the shoulder?

Thanks for asking Jeanne.  It's going to take awhile till my arm is all healed.  But I can knit and drive!

And post and take pictures?   

Good morning!  We are back home again, after our trip to the Cardiologist in Amarillo.  Darrel had another nuclear stress test, but they didn't give us the results.  They will call later in the week (I hope) and tell us what was found.  Then, if he needs further attention, we will return on Jan. 24; if all is well, they will cancel that appointment and give us one in six months.  I hope we don't have to go back (for that) until July.  Darrel is feeling fine now and I am so thankful--so is he, of course!

After leaving the doctor's office, he felt pretty good, so we did go shopping for a while.  I got FOUR new pairs of pants, four bras and some new underwear, so I'm all fixed up for clothes again.  And everything we bought was on sale!    What a deal, huh?  Oh, yes!  I also got a new dictionary, something I have been wanting for nearly two years!  I'm a happy wife today!    It amazes me how God can keep on developing our relationships when we cooperate with Him.  He wants us to grow closer and closer to Him and to our loved ones, all through life.  What a wonderful God we serve!

Larry, glad your trip to Atlanta was good, and that they found the real source of Pat's trouble.  Also that Stacey is better and you could celebrate her birthday with her.  How old is she?

Pat, I wish you didn't have to do all that driving.  Goodness!  I cannot imagine doing that, especially alone.  Love and miss you, dear friend.

Jeanne, glad your snow is melting.  Ours is mostly gone now, and we are ready for more!  They are predicting rain this week, which is even better!

Etta Sue, sounds as if you had a busy day--but then, you often do!

We had hoped to have at least a short visit with Darrel's sister while in Amarillo, but when I called to ask if they could meet us for supper, she was "flat in bed" she said, with a cold.  Maybe next time.

On the way to Amarillo, after the sun came up, I started interviewing Darrel.  I learned a couple things I didn't know before!  This is such a rewarding "job" and I am really enjoying it.  And I think it will be very meaningful to the families of those I am writing about, as nearly everybody intends to do something similar with their older loved ones, and so few ever get it done.  So at least they will have the stories I am writing to keep for their descendants.  I don't know when I will finish Darrel's, but at least I got it started.  I intend his to be much more in-depth, as it is mostly for me, anyway.  If I have it published in the paper later, I will shorten it for that.  But for the book I am thinking of, it will be full length.  One little thing he said, when I asked him what advice he would offer to younger folk, was "Treat your woman with respect."     I like that--a lot!

Darrel is up and dressed for the gym, so I'd better go get dressed, too.  See you later!

Janet, what a lovely upbeat message from you this morning!  I'm so happy that Darrel is feeling so much better, and that obviously gives your spirits a real lift!  Of course, new clothes help. too!   

The temperature went down to about 5 (above, thank goodness) overnight and is slowly climbing - maybe even above freezing later this afternoon.   Oh well, spring weather is only another 7 or 8 weeks away.     (Sounds like less using "weeks" rather than "2 months".  )

Ahhhhh finally the furnace is going,  will be warm soon.  Jeanne we will be having warmer temperatures this week as well.

Out in Sashatchewan the highway between Regina and Moose Jaw was closed last night due to accidents and blowing snow.  Many were stranded in Regina, sleeping on mats on the floor in the bus station.  Not an easy time.

Wr have so much to be thankful for.  so much God has done for us, first in giving His Son..

In Facebook 2 of us are starting to persue an attitude of gratitude to our Father who gives to all generously.  This hymn is to carry that theme on here in Thoughts.  What have you to be greatful for?

A beautiful hymn, Judy.  And the most important line (IMO) is the last one "If we let God have his way."  How often I find I'm trying to manipulate things as I think they should be. 

Waiting again for the heat pump guy!  I had heat yesterday afternoon while I was gathering the trash.  Then last night it got cold (to me) again.  I check and no heat coming from the unit.  It has two indicator lights...if two are blinking, then it is approaching the designated set temperature.  If one is blinking, then it has reached the designated set temperature and is on standby!  It was blinking one.  The temp was set at 74° and the thermometer right below this unit said 69°!  That's for the furnace and I am not going to raise the temp for the furnace above 69°.  I turned off the heat pump and waited about 5 minutes.  I turned it back on and raised the temp to 80 something...never got two lights blinking...just one blinking and cool air coming out!  So I shut it off.

The heat pump man says that even if it is 40 something out, the outside unit will still ice up and he still thinks I need a heating element installed under the heat pump at the cost of $125 plus labor to me.  It didn't do this last year or the year before or the year before that!!!  I am thinking that the problem should be fixed instead of a device that is costly to me to fix that problem!  I just tried it again and not working right and it is mid forties out there!!

Not much news today.  Just trying to keep warm and comfy!  I can't imagine living way north like JudyB with a coal/wood furnace!  I remember the old days when the whole family surrounded the heating stove to keep warm!

AMEN, Judy!

Hi everyone.  Another day fast fading.  I was gone all morning, first to coffee and then to Bible study.  Today, even though Pat wasn't with me as she didn't go this morning to Bible study, I went with the group over to Dunkin' Donuts.  One of the group who now resides permanently at an assisted living facility was there and then as we got to coffee my good friends Bob and Mary came in.  He is the one who moved up north and has the prostate and bone cancer.  I was glad I had gone to coffee as had a chance to visit with him.  We have a wintry looking day but the temperature is mild, which is enjoyable.  Pat talked with her sister last evening and her sister is going to come and spend a couple of weeks with us when Pat has her surgery.  I hope we have talked her into flying as it is over a 20 hour bus ride from Kansas City to Atlanta.  It takes only two hours to fly plus the time getting to and at the airport.  She is Pat's only living sister and they are very close.  Nothing else on the schedule for today other than to read the message boards since yesterday.

Ruth, nice to see your posting. 

Etta Sue, guess you can enjoy a two-tone car for awhile.  It is hard to keep cars clean when you have to drive in melting snow.

Pat, that sounds like a nightmare trip for you.  Glad you stopped to rest and had a better second leg of your trip.  Hope you and Paul have a great trip to Daytona.

Janet, glad you are home.  The last nuclear stress test I had last year was much easier than the one before it as didn't experience the momentary sick feeling from the dye.  Fortunately my cardiologist was at the hospital and got the result of mine immediately so I didn't have to wait for results.  Can't beat sales for clothes.  My sister-in-law found a real bargain of $30 little girls dresses for one of her great granddaughters that had been marked down to $2 each.  She said she bought 8 of them for less than $20.  She is really a good shopper and loves to shop. Stacey will be 48 on January 31st.  Our son will be 50 at his next birthday.  My mother wrote a very fine story of her life that I treasure and also wrote one on Dad's life.  I was amazed at the details she remember from her youth and friendships over the years.  I like Darrel's philosophy regarding the women in our lives and I agree 100% with him.  My wife and I have never been disrespectful to each other in these 50 years of marriage.

Judy, that has been a hymn I have sung all of my life and it is a good reminder of what God does for us.

Etta Sue, we had a heat pump in Maryland and it would ice up plus I never felt warm with it.  We have a heat pump for the bonus room over the garage and when Stacey was living here it froze up one day.  Now we keep it off as no one goes up there.  I also can remember days growing up when we hovered around the one heating stove we had for the house and we would shut off the bedrooms to keep the rest of the house warmer.  Guess I was fortunate in that I slept on a daybed in the living area until I was 19 and Dad added two rooms and a garage onto the house and I had my own bedroom at last.