Christian Photographers Community

Link of the day...[/font]

• About Oswald Chambers  

• Creation Moment Listen to the Creation Moment every day for a new creation moment!  We can learn a lot from these!  Terrific if you are home schooling. Have you clicked on this link lately?

Verse for Today...[/font]

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."[/color]
~2 Timothy 2:15~   [/list]


Quote of the Day...[/font]

 "There is nothing got by scuffling with God."
~William Gurnall~[/list]  


Some News We Should Know About...

• Europe-Africa rail tunnel agreed
  Spain and Morocco say they have agreed to build a 39-kilometre rail tunnel beneath the Mediterranean Sea, to link Europe and Africa.

• Photo Moment: Military Aerial of WTC Ground Zero[/b]    

From our forums...

• PLEASE~VOTE IN OUR POLL![/u]

• Let's Get Started Making a Web Page!  We're sure that many of you would like to post your own photos!  Well, join Jeanne and Sonja and learn how you can do it.

• Monthly Photo Challenge~SIGNS OF THE SEASON[/b] During the month of December, show us how you decorate your house, your town, etc. for the Christmas season!

• We're well into our first of only two weeks for this interesting challenge! December 1st Bi-Weekly Challenge~AROUND YOUR TOWN  This Challenge was inspired by Lee Kirkwood!  He wanted to see what some of our towns and cities where we reside really look like!

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Morning Devotional...




If you cannot express yourself well on each of your beliefs, work and study until you can. If you don't, other people may miss out on the blessings that come from knowing the truth.

Strive to re-express a truth of God to yourself clearly and understandably, and God will use that same explanation when you share it with someone else. But you must be willing to go through God's winepress where the grapes are crushed. You must struggle, experiment, and rehearse your words to express God's truth clearly.

Then the time will come when that very expression will become God's wine of strength to someone else. But if you are not diligent and say, "I'm not going to study and struggle to express this truth in my own words; I'll just borrow my words from someone else," then the words will be of no value to you or to others. Try to state to yourself what you believe to be the absolute truth of God, and you will be allowing God the opportunity to pass it on through you to someone else.

Always make it a practice to stir your own mind thoroughly to think through what you have easily believed. Your position is not really yours until you make it yours through suffering and study. The author or speaker from whom you learn the most is not the one who teaches you something you didn't know before, but the one who helps you take a truth with which you have quietly struggled, give it expression, and speak it clearly and boldly.

From "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers

Hi everyone!!  I think I'm back.  Well, sorta back, more back tomorrow  morning after a night's sleep.

What?  You didn't notice I was gone??  fine, then.  Be that way!

For real, I am hoping now that I am feeling better, I can post more regularly.

Take care and good morning/afternoon/night to ya'll!

Oops!  I waited so long, the door was locked on Sunday's discussion, so I will post on Monday's.

Sue, I hope you had a wonderful birthday!

A BIG WELCOME TO T-BONE, MULLET, AND FAST EDDIE! IT IS GREAT TO HAVE ALL OF YOU HERE.  I hope you will come and post often.  Zachery, did you and Mom get your cake baked?

Hello to Ria and Jenny!!   Hello Chris and Margit!

And good morning to the rest of you who pop in early.

I had a very busy day today, also have lots of photos to download and perhaps post some another day.

Hi there Pat!  Hey, Karma, glad you are feeling some better!  Hi Sonja!

Greetings to Judy M., Larry, Al, Marilyn, Liz, Ruth Ann, Etta Sue, Jerry, Lee, Papa John, Sue, Paulette, Rachelle, Suzanne, Jeanne,......and anyone else whose name is not coming to mind at this moment.

Talk to you later!

We had a great day today.  I posted an agenda yesterday and didn't get but 1 1/2 of the list accomplished.    

Our day was a little busier then I thought.  We made it to church and right after church the kids had to practice their Christmas program. Which they did great with.  You can see some of the pictures from that evening
here!

We did get the cakes (4) made...well Zachery did, but we didn't frost it.  We will frost it and decorate it tomorrow.

Mike and I spent some time with Chandraya.  We took her to Perkins and had lunch and was helping her memorize her lines for the Christmas program.

We didn't get to watch any movies.  

I had church choir practice at 5:00-600 and then Chandraya's sang in the evening church for the Christmas program at 6:30.  

We then visited with the folks at church till 8:30 and then went Christmas light hunting.  That was fun...I got a few shots. I might them post tomorrow or later this week.

Good evening everyone.  I just spent time reading Sunday's posts, and now I'm too tired to post on tomorrow that is really Sunday night's. haha

WHOA!!! Sonja.  Way to go on your list.  1 1/2 of it is pretty good.
I need a list like that. haha   I have so much fun marking things off, you'd think I'd get closer to finished, but seems I always have more for tomorrow.

 Welcome to our newcomers.    And Happy Birthday Sue.

  I voted, Pat.  Of course I had to check the results, and I see 100% voted to continue.  I still want to get the picture of the cruise/dinner boat that Margit asked about.  

   ok.  That's all.  G'night everyone.  I'm heading for my nice warm bed while my eyes are open.  

Goodmorning Everyone.

"Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat,
Please put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny a halfpenny will do,
If you haven't got a halfpenny, God Bless you."

Gosh, I can just remember pennies and halfpennies.

My little grandson William is one year old today.  I have a portrait of him and Tom to scan later for "Jenny's Grandchildren"..O.K. Pat? It was taken by Tom's school photographer.

Ria  Hallo.

Chris and Margit Hello.

Janet Thinking of you. The Lord Bless you and Beth. Helen is still extremely poorly! Yes she needs your prayers dear.

Love Jenny.

GOOD MORNIN ALL 10.00 AM

PAT thank you for the devotional today
and also for the the nice hymn in our night.

Yesterday there have been problems in the church when the pastor start with talking about
the fusion 17 people and two of the council are going out the church. There has been no sermon.
Every two weeks we get a newspaper from the church
but never a word about the fusion.

LIZ  yes i love it to go to the Baptist church and i go often to the church and now maybe always. But it is terrible also in Holland there are problems in the Baptist church. Also there is coming a split there is coming a new Baptist church and the church get the name FREE BAPTIST CHURCH also a lot
people don't like more the normal Baptist church
WHAT IS GOING ON IN HOLLAND I DON'T NO MORE


It is terrible weather in Holland
this is the 3e day that we have a lot wind and rain.


John 1 : 41
We have found the Messiah ( that is, the Christ)

HOPE AND GLORY
       Messiah...
 The majesty of God
in the humility of a Child...
Glory in a manger-bed,
Hope in an infant's sigh.

I wish you all a BLESSED DAY
BYE FOR NOW

LOVE RIA

WELCOME TO CP
FAST EDDIE

RIA

Hi folks, I'm in a rush as usual and I just popped in to post this. Hope it is blessed to someone.

[/b]

There are times when our spirits are crushed beyond measure and we feel as though we cannot take anymore. We are not fit for the task that the Lord has set us. Our failings and shortcomings become ever so visible to us and we are ready to collapse under the strain.


Strain, worry and fear are ever present with us. We look to our companions for help however discouragement and complaints come instead.

Their moans and groans seem to be even louder than ours! We have tried and done our best but our best just does not seem to be good enough.

What are we to do?

We are fast approaching the close of yet another year in our pilgrimage. What is uppermost on our minds today?

The children of Israel were remembering cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic! How sad you may think, however if we replace those items with what is on the minds of many folk at this time of year then we find that perhaps we are just as sad.

'I need this' or 'I want that' is a cry heard from many a household in these days. Parents want to give their children what they can, yet many simply cannot afford to spend, spend, spend. Where do our priorities lie? Is it with pleasing God or with satisfying the flesh?

Do we yearn for things today that are beyond us, or are we content with such things as we have? For many the lesson of learning contentment is a difficult one and it comes not without murmuring!

O! Wretched man that I am!!!

Moses felt the weight of trying to satisfy the murmuring children of Israel as he was the target of blame. It was the fault of God and His representative Moses that they were doing without flesh. Where are we pointing the finger of blame today?

Moses takes his complaint to His Lord and opens up his heart. 'This Lord is beyond me. I cannot take anymore of this constant moaning and groaning. The burden that You have given me is more than I can bear.'

Many a fine Pastor will feel like this on a Monday morning. Last week great diligence was put into the preparation of their message.

Yesterday they preached with all their heart, pleading with the lost to turn from their ways and follow Jesus. This morning, drained and having had a restless night the week before them looks bleak. How are they to feed such a multitude with flesh?

Let us not limit God by our limited understand nor by our unbelief!

It is easy to picture Moses looking at the cattle and the flock of sheep and wondering whether they would all need to be slain in order to satisfy the people. Even then, there would not be sufficient.

If today we are also looking either within or along a horizontal plane then our tasks in this life and even for this week will seem insurmountable.

'Is the Lord's hand waxed short?'

What a challenge this is for us. Has God lost His power? Has God forgotten all about us? Will He, having called us let us fulfil our calling in our own strength? Will His glorious Word return unto Him void?

Do we preach and pray in vain? Does the mocking of others as we tell them of the Good News mean that our message is not being heard?

Can God still bring the greatest sinner to his knees pleading for mercy? Is it possible for those who today are swearing and cursing to sing Psalms tomorrow?

The Lord had a Word for Moses and He has a Word for you and I today. ' Is the Lord's hand waxed short? Thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.'

God answered the murmuring of the people with an abundance of flesh though His wrath was kindled upon them for their greed! A lesson perhaps we should all heed in these days.

The Lord graciously answered Moses' problems with an army of Elders. How quickly our Lord is able to remove our burdens and how able He is to meet our every need if only we would ask and trust Him.

Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race set before us looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith. Cast all your care upon the Lord for He cares for you.

Moses may have been acutely aware of the loneliness of the battle, yet with God on his side he was comforted and encouraged.

His Elder brother was his constant companion and always there was a listening ear and a strong shoulder for him to lean upon.

There may be days when we have to lean harder than other days, however the more we trust the greater the blessings that flow. Look not upon your weaknesses and failings today.

Look to Jesus, trust Him to carry the heavy load and learn to follow the Good Master wherever He leads. He knows the way that we take and that should give us all the confidence that we need to take the next step on our journey.

LOL

Your brother in Christ

Iain

P.S. happy birthday Sue.

Welcome 'Fast Eddie' - be sure and invite Slow Eddie along also!

Welcome - T-bone & Mullet. Great names!!Hope you guys can teach us something.

Iain
I am so glad to see you again.  You are very busy I understand with "bread and butter" work, quite a concern for you I know. I do pray for you.

I have popped back in to read your devotional Iain and I am so pleased that I did.  It means so much to me this morning. My daughter is very sick and I just don't feel adequate. I am going to read Numbers 11 now and will see you later.

God Bless brother.
Jenny

hey ya'll,
How are you today. it's been pretty nice here so far but it's supposed to snow tonight   i don't really care for the snow but oh well we need the moisture for sure. mom's about to head off for work and me for school and dad for work.so i better get going ttyl
Sarah

Hi everyone.  It is a chilly but sunny day here in Georgia.  I am just back from coffee with my retired friends.  The housekeepers are here this morning so everything will be back in good order shortly.  

Welcome Fast Eddie, glad to have you join us here on CP.  

Jenny, sure sorry to read that your daughter is so ill.  I know this is of great concern to you.

Iain, thanks for the devotional thoughts today and it is good to see you posting.

Pat, when I started to read the devotional this morning for today I realized I had just read it a few minutes earlier as I read my daily reading from Oswald Chambers.  It was a good one today, which is probably why you chose it.

Ria, it sounds like there is going to be some rough days ahead for your church.  We seem to be experiencing many problems in our churches here in the USA as well.

Sue, a belated Happy Birthday wish is sent your way.  

Sonifo, it sounds like your family had a very busy but productive day yesterday.  

Hope everyone has a good day today.

IAIN:  I do not have to invite Slow Eddie.  I once was Fast Eddie but have become Slow Eddie over the years.

I decided on the moniker "Fast Eddie" since most sites already had an "Ed, Eddie or Edward."

Long ago I was known as a fairly decent pool player.  If you remember the movie "The Hustler"   Paul newman played a character named "Fast Eddie."  And the name fell on me.

I am really enjoying all of the "food" that is here for me to "eat"

It is nice to amongst friends who share a common belief.

G'mornin' everybody.  See, we've got so many Brits on here these days that I'm begining to sound like one!
Belatedly, for sure, but meaningful anyway -
Welcome Fast Eddy![/size][/color]

IAIN thank you for your lovely words
very good brother.

LARRY it are very rough days in Holland  i don't no more what this will be i know
one thing THE LOVE AND MY BELIEVE AND MY TRUST IN GOD NO OWN CAN TAKEN THAT FROM ME.
But i am very happy that i can talk on CP with my brothers and sisters about this.

The only problem is i have now sleepless  nights.

Bye and thank you Ria

"G'mornin' " sure doesn't sound like a Brit's way of speaking to me, Al Moak!  You never hear them drop letters!  HAHAHAHA!  Sounds like Nards and Karma's way to me!  

Anyway, Hi Al!  How was the service yesterday?


Nice to see you Ed.  I don't think we have another Ed on this site.  You're the first.


Sonja, you sure sound as if you had a great day yesterday.

Everyone, please see Sonja's lovely photos of the children's choir at church last night.  They are in the "Signs of the Season" challenge.  They are so special.

Hi Larry, yes I found the devotional for today very meaningful so thought I'd share it.  Guess reading it twice was ok?  

Glad you popped in last night, Janet!  You sure were missed yesterday.

Sarah, you don't care for the snow?  I used to love going for walks in the snow with my friends when I was your age.  Loved snowball fights!  It's no fun though if you're cold.

Jenny, I'll look for the photos and see if I still have them that you sent last summer.  

Iain, what a wonderful devotion you've shared with us today!

QuoteWe are fast approaching the close of yet another year in our pilgrimage. What is uppermost on our minds today?

Let's think upon this today, folks!  What's uppermost in our minds today?

I must go quickly.  Someone is knocking at my door.  

I have awesome news!

Today is the first day in months that I woke up NOT feeling dizzy!  Praise God for He is good.  I feel that I don't deserve it. Is that wierd or what? Is it a normal thing to feel?

My agenda for the day:

1) Finish the cake!  

2) Make ornaments with Chandraya.

3) Take kids out to play in the snow if not to cold.

I wonder if I will get these done to day?  

Have a good day, peeps!

Well, I hope you bring some of that cake here to share with us.  My mouth has been watering since Saturday.

Oops..  better go and get a tissue.  Can't have my mouth watering all over everything!  HAHAHA!

Sonja, I'm so glad that you are feeling better.  What a lovely feeling for you.

Good Morning, thank you Pat and Iain for the devotional today. Much to comtemplate throughout the day.

I am trying to spend more time in prayer throughout each day and find that I get distracted by so many thing. Outr message yesterday was on having the mind of Christ. That is quite a challenge.

Sun is out today for now anyway, but I am cold.  It seems always to be cold in this trailer unless I turn the heat up above 70 F.

Be back later.

Some good thoughts for today:

I'm Not Poor at All
By Michele T. Huey

Dear Lord, I'm feeling down today,
The bills are stacked up high;
With Christmas just two weeks away,
Our bank account's run dry.

The kids have all presented lists
Of things they want to see;
I hope and pray there's nothing missed
Beneath our Christmas tree.

But I don't have the money for
Expensive clothes and toys;
My credit card can't take much more,
Lord, where's my Christmas joy?

Perhaps it's wrapped up in that hug
My daughter gave this morn;
Or stacked with wood my son did lug
To keep us nice and warm.

Perhaps it's in my oldest's eyes
When he comes home on break,
And sees I've baked those pumpkin pies
He wanted me to make.

Perhaps it's in the tired lines
Around my husband's eyes;
Perhaps in love that's grown with time
I've found the greater prize.

A friend who gives a hearty smile,
And cupboards that aren't bare;
And, even if they aren't in style,
I've got some clothes to wear.

A family who believes in me
In all things great and small;
Dear God, I think I finally see -
I am not poor at all!

Thanks Janet for sharing that.  

Did you get your frames all built?

Funny quote from Chandraya:

QuoteWhy do you have mildew on your face, mom?

I had a green mask on my face when I went upstairs to make her some breakfast and she had asked me this.  hahahha...it was so funny.  She didn't think so though.  

Oh this is lovely.  I was feeling blue and then I had a read of "The Imitation of Christ" and then popped in here and I feel better now.

Fast Eddy Hello Brother.  I am glad you came to join us.  Look forward to hearing more from you.

Larry Thank-you for caring re my daughter.  God bless you.

Pat You posted some of this house which I had taken with a normal camera and scanned.  Another time I did some of the old village with my digi camera.  Don't worry.  I am not offended if they don't appear.  I don't want you overdoing things again.

Soni Glad you are enjoying life again.P'raps we all need to get some anti-glare screens for our computers.  They are quite cheap.  Only trouble is mostly they are too big for my little lap-tap.

Marilyn "Seek true peace, not upon earth, but in heaven; not in men, nor in other things created, but in God alone.
Thou must be willing for the love of God to suffer all things, labours and sorrows, temptations, and vexations, anxieties, necessities, sicknesses, injuries, detractions, reprehensions, humiliations, confusions, corrections, and contempt.
These things help to obtain virtue, try a novice of Christ, and fashion a Heavenly crown.
I will give an everlasting reward for this sort labour, and glory without end for transitory confusion.

Wait for the Lord, be of good heart; despond not, fall not off, but constantly offer both soul and body for the glory of God.
I will reward thee most abundantly and will be with thee in all thy tribulations."    ( Thomas A Kempis.)
                                   

God Bless everyone,
Jenny.

Soni, I love Chandraya's question!    Kids are so honest!  So.......did the mildew help your complexion??

No, the frames haven't arrived via UPS as yet, so I can't build them till they get here!  

Jenny, prayers and thoughts for Helen today.  It is so very hard to see our kids suffer.  Also Liz's Wendy, and my Beth.   May all of them feel better and get stronger each day.  Same for Ruth Ann's dear son.

Sonja!!  How wonderful that the dizziness is gone!!  Praise the Lord!  He hath done great things!

I am having a really hard time trying to get my bunch together for a Christmas thing this year.  My youngest daughter in Salina and my son in Cheyenne are the ones we have to work with, and their schedules don't seem to mesh well.  But I hope we can have at least a few hours together.

My grandson Mark (Abby's brother) got his first deer yesterday!  I know, deer are so beautiful, etc.....but it is a big thing to a young man when they get their first one while hunting.  They have become so plentiful here, and I would much rather they were shot and eaten than to have cars hit them on the road.    That has become a real hazard around here.

I need to do some stuff, so I will be back later!

Al!
You are confusing we British with our Australian buddies, We always say " good morning" or maybe "morning" but never ever g'morning! phewwwwwwww
You Yanks! lol.

   

I am late today!  I went to bed late.  Yes, I am addicted to 'Survivor'!  Glad I have TiVo to record it because when it started, Ivalou called and we talked a long time.  Then I noticed that Survivor was late because of Saddam news and clicked the 11 o'clock news and the show after it to record.  Then Tony called and talked a l-o-n-g time.  But I did get to see all of Survivor and glad that Sandra won.  Sure didn't want Jon to win, for sure.  Course, Rupert was my favorite...a home state boy!  

Anyway, my step-grandson has offered to rebuild my pc.  I have a new monitor and keyboard and scanner.  Pleased with my speakers and my printer.  So all I need is the compressor.  I just sent him all the info on my pc by using Belarc.  So hopefully, I will have new stuff soon.  My present pc is sick...not in the hospital yet...just sick.  But I want to get something done before it becomes terminal!!  

Then I was late getting to bed...my mind was busy in thinking about saving all the stuff on my old pc.  Then I woke with acid reflux.  Worse case of it ever.  I finally got back to sleep and didn't wake up until 9:20am.  That is super late for me!!!  I went to Lapel for stamps, and some other stuff.  Then Ivalou called again and we talked for over an hour.  Just now getting back online.

So today, I plan to make good use of my CD burner and 'save' stuff on CD's.  

<)))><<~~<)))><<~~<)))><<~~<)))><<~~<)))
"Those proud of keeping an orderly desk never know the thrill of finding something they thought they had irretrievably lost."


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December 15    

Trials and Pain: The Back Side of the Desert

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the
priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert,
and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
--Exodus 3:1

We should quickly review here the kinds of preparation Moses had
gone through for his leadership role under God. Reared in
Pharaoh's palace, he had been educated in all the wisdom of the
Egyptians. He had the prerequisites for almost any kind of
career. In our day a man with his qualifications would be sought
for election as a bishop or the president of any of the great
church denominations.

Then, too, Moses had a most unusual but highly effective
postgraduate course. God took him out of the activity and the
noise of Egypt and placed him in the silence of the open spaces.
He kept the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law. Tending the
sheep, he learned lessons of meditation and observation that he
could only have learned in the silence.

Probably more important than anything else, Moses learned to know
himself. That knowledge was a part of God's preparation of the
man for his future tasks. We, today, know everything but
ourselves. We never really come to know ourselves because we
cannot get quiet enough.
Men Who Met God, p. 70

"Lord, I pray this morning for the hurting pastor who is
languishing in 'the silence of the open spaces,' on the back side
of the desert. Encourage him; instruct him; then show Him how You
can use him mightily in Your way and in Your time. Amen."
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