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Morning Devotional...








"Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them." (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

It is hard to find the answer to life when you're old. Statistics indicate that most people who come to Christ come to Him while they are relatively young. Ninety-five percent of all believers come to Christ before they are fifty years old, and most of those before they are thirty. The Searcher tells us: "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth."

Remembering God does not mean merely thinking about Him once in awhile. It means to relate to Him, walk with Him, discover Him, learn to know Him while you are young. There are two excellent reasons given for this. First, because "days of trouble are coming." Old age is setting in, and one of the characteristics of old age is that we lose our ability to change and to learn new things; we are subjected to greater pressures. Those days become "days of trouble."

Temptation is all around us; it is subtle, it is powerful. The appeal of the world and the flesh is constantly with us, turning thousands of young people away from the truth of God. But it gets worse the older you grow. The pressures to conform are greater as you move out into life and business; when you become parents, when you become breadwinners and have to establish homes, the pressures to conform, to fit in with all the ways of the world, will be far more intense than they are when you are still in high school or college. Evil pressures increase; that is one good reason to remember your Creator in the days of your youth.

Then, second, your motivations are highest now. The Searcher says days are coming "when you will say, 'I find no pleasure in them.'" That is, when you will say, "I'm not motivated at all." One of the signs of age is its unwillingness to change. I have often observed the tragedy of people who have acknowledged the fact that they had missed the secret of life, but they were unwilling to change simply because it was so hard to do so when they were old. This is why the Searcher exhorts young people, "Learn about God now. Learn the Scriptures now, when you are young, while motivation is high and evil pressures are fewer."

We have a wonderful example of this in our Lord Jesus. He grew up in a godly home, exposed to the truth of the Scripture. The only thing that is recorded of Him in those days is given in the words, "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52). He manifested such wisdom that when He was only twelve years old He astonished the teachers in the temple, asking them penetrating questions they could not answer. Then He went back with His mother and father to finish His boyhood in that home in Nazareth, having "remembered His Creator in the days of His youth."

   Lord, teach me to remember You, my Creator, in these days of temptation. By Your grace, let me grow in favor with God and man.

From the book The Power of His Presence: a year of devotions from the writings of Ray Stedman

Hi everyone.  We are suppose to have another nice day and then rain moving in this evening with a winter mix predicted for tomorrow.  However the snow is not suppose to stay on the ground as it was been warm here.

This will be a bit of a busy day.  After coffee I have an appointment with my new cardiologist.  Fortunately he is relatively close to where I live.  Then this afternoon is my men's luncheon.  I am also expecting another big group of applications for the Senior Golden Games and would like to get them worked up as will be taking what I have done to the person who handles the next step, including checking my work.  It is always god to have a second set of eyes review things.  The housekeeper is also due today although we haven't heard from her.

Jane, glad the link has been fixed or disconnected.

Janet, sounds like that was quite a day with the grands.  Glad you could be there.  Who wouldn't like an ice cream cake. 

Pat, thanks for the devotional for this week.

Thank you for that Pat.  Too often we forget.

Up early and I am going back to bed for a bit.

I am here for a little while, biding time until things open up in town.  In our small town, everything used to open at 8, now hardly anything is open before 9!    I have an appointment at 9 for my physical, also need to go to the courthouse to get the tag for the new car, and renew the handicapped license for Beth's van.  Also have to go to Verizon office to pay for my new phone and tie up a few loose ends there.  I wanted to get an early start, but after trying to call, found nobody at work yet.  Such is life, huh?

Larry, that sounds like a lot of work, doing that many forms for the Sr. Olympics.  I'm sure they appreciate your help on that.

And now I think I will go see if I can get started on my day.  Hope I don't have to sit and wait........................................

Janet ~ I think you have to be a member of Facebook and logged in to read Lauren's Story.  So I sent the story on WORD to your pld.com email account. 

I had a nice nap yesterday and was so tired when I went to bed...I don't know why since I didn't do anything all afternoon.  Then I woke up tired this morning from being in bed so long!! 

But today is a busy day.  Trash, therapy, getting the obits at the library and church council meeting tonight.  At least it isn't snowing!!

Good afternoon everyone.  The devotional was very interesting.  I remember reading many years ago that most Christians are converted in their youth.  I agree that we tend to get set in our ways as time goes on.

Yesterday I was invited out to lunch after the morning service.  I love the Italian christians I fellowship with, but they sure can eat.  My stomach was a bit wobbly through the night but I managed to do everything I needed to this morning.  I have just started a study of the Gospels and am really getting into it.  It is a massive study and I do not know when I will be finished, but I am glad that I decided to do it.

Everyone sounds very busy.  Larry and Janet - I do trust that you all manage to get everything done.  JudyB I hope your day goes well too (I went back to bed this afternoon too).

Etta Sue, you too are busy today.  The Lord bless you in everything you do.

God bless everyone.

Anthony.

p.s. Does anyone know how Sarah and the baby are getting on?

Hi Everyone...

Yesterday, I was totally exhausted from such a busy two days with the wedding I was photographing.  I had little sleep and then on Saturday, I was just operating on adrenalin! 

It was a lovely wedding.  The young couple really showed that they were both committed to our Lord and Saviour and what a wonderful testimony they both have.


Anthony, I was speaking with Sarah on Facebook and she was telling me that the baby is doing well.  That was about 2 weeks ago now.

I have picked up Kassie and brought her home.  Looks like we have the flu in the house yet again.

We have made the decision to keep the last of the puppies from the first litter this year.  He is a sweetie. Much like his great grand dad in temperment.

I have to get John's food ready for him he leaves in the AM at 6:00 Too early to do it in the morning.

Be back later.

Judy, how many dogs do you have?  It seems you are talking about different ones so often.  My bro-in-law had a new puppy when they were here this past weekend.  It is an Italian greyhound, like a miniature.  Really a pretty color, sort of a blue violet.  He said it is called blue something.

Anthony, yes, most Italians do enjoy their food!  But then, most of us do.  I need to lose some pounds myself.  Your study  of the Gospels sounds great.

Well, folks, I don't need to make another mistake all week.  I made enough today to last!   The first one was.....after getting to the doctor's office, I found out my app't is for tomorrow!    Then I went to the courthouse for the tag, didn't have all the documantation I needed......got that; then tried to get Beth's handicap tag renewed and they said I can't do that before March 15.  (But they sent the notice.)  I went to the Sr. Center to get a menu and Mary Ann, the nurse said she could do my toenails right then, so that was a plus.  I'd had a time set but she got sick, then I was in class....well, you get the drift.  What a mixed-up day, but it's good.

I took a little nap, then got up and cleaned out the refrigerator.  Do any of you have the problem of bottles and jars multiplying in your refrigerator?  Goodness, first thing I know there isn't room for another thing in there.  But we are set for a while now.  Next chore I need to tackle is my studio.  It is too easy to just go in there and plunk things down on the tables, and now it is chaos.  So before I can do any work there, it has to be straightened up.  

Thanks for sending me Lauren's story, Etta Sue and Judy.  I am a member of Facebook but rarely go there, thus do not remember my password.  It is aggravating that they want you to put it in every time.    Yes, I know, I should remember what it is, but there are just way too many numbers and words to remember anymore.  Whew.

Pat, I didn't know you were photographing a wedding.  But you are very talented in that area, so I'm sure you did a great job. Good to see a young couple start their life together with the Lord as the head of their house, far too few even consider the need for that.

HAHAHAHA  Janet, your day sounds like so many of mine! 

Yes, the wedding was the wedding of Andrew and Terena's neice and she's called me "Grandma Scott" ever since she learned to talk so that's my name!  And she wanted me to take her photos.  I'm not usually a wedding photographer but lean more toward landscape type but hopefully, we'll get a few that are ok.  She knew I wasn't a pro at this! 

It was a very interesting wedding.  It was totally a "western" theme and the guys all wore black jeans and western shirts and cowboy boots and if you remember the program "Gunsmoke", and the high boots that Kitty wore?  Well, Nicole had beautiful white high boots like those. 



Today, I've been editing the Guelph Hiking Trail Club website. 

We have 2 adult dogs.  Cimi and Stiches.  Stiches has 6 puppies.  We also have a pup called Napoleon.  HE is a cutie, about 3 months old.  We are being persuaded to keep him.  Time will tell.

Judy you don't have GYP any more?

Marilyn Haven't had for a long time He is on a sheep farm working as he was bread to...The farm owner is an older man who had just lost his beloved pet, my heart went out to him......

Janet ~ I don't know how you get to your websites but if you use Bookmarks, bookmark the page after you have put in your password.  Then when you use the bookmark, you are already logged in.  That's what I do.  I try to use the same password but some places have to be different and won't let you use the same password. 

Yesterday was so busy.  The phone rang three times in the morning...it hardly ever rings.  It was trash day.  It was rehab day.  I did get the obituaries from the Lapel Library.  And last evening was Church Council meeting.  I was so glad to get home and put my jammies on to watch the finale of The Bachelor. 

Today Ivalou and I are going to the beauty shop.  She wants a perm and I need a haircut.  When I swim my hair gets in my eyes again! 

Nice and sunny but below freezing.  It will be so nice to wake up and it be above freezing.  Maybe in a month I can open windows and let the breezes blow! 

Another rough night.  John had to leave early and I was afraid of him sleeping in....Seems like he had the same fear I felt him awake a lot of the night as well.

Today will be a lazy day, I have Kass home again,,,wish she could finally get rid of the flu bug.  It keeps rearing its ugly head.

I will be back later.

The sun has come out on an otherwise rainy day. Happy seems to be doing  some better and not scratching and biting himself so much, but his fur has gotten so thin I can see his skin on his upper back. I have started him on a grain free food and I am  cooking for them again too. That's the only way I can make sure they are getting the nutrients then need.

Well, I got all tested, drained and X-rayed, but the Dodge City hospital still hasn't caled to give me a time to be there.  Just NOW the phone rang, and Darrel was told he has that Antibiotic-residtant infection AGAIN and he has to go get an IV inserted AGAIN.  Augghhhh!!  He is going to Las Vegas later this month with grandson Curtis, to a Security show, and I really hope he will be infection free by then.

Pat, I look forward to the wedding pics, sounds lovely.  Dodge City was the site of the Gunsmoke series (though it wasn't filmed there) and they still have summer shows at Boot Hill with Miss Kitty and the gang.  

I guess I will call the hospital and ask if a time has been assigned to me yet.  We need to know, especially if Darrel needs an IV injection that day---which he will.

Etta Sue, thanks for that Favorites hint!  I'd never have thought of doing it that way.  I just put in a new password for Facebook, so will go see if it works again.

I only have a half hour free & then we will meet our friends for fish taco night up the street.  We are in a tiny, interesting place we rented sight unseen - uh - it is interesting and I have got over the inadequaticies - if there is such a word.  The owner is very friendly but clueless - as to what a rental should have as ordinary things anyone would expect.  We have made level about everything in here, and a few other things have fixed.  Well, it is a good price so .....

Trying to help our friend who has an open wound on his foot - they are flying back to the Mayo clinic where he will get more treatment.  Don is out for a nice walk & I am getting ready to wash clothes - they have a clothesline here outdoors & the dryer they have is utterly useless - almost three hours & it still was too damp so I took it over to friends house to dry.  So much for "Green Appliance"  - give me power!

Janet:  We have all gone through those days & try not to admit it.   

Arizona is so green now with all the heavy rains - we hope the desert will bloom, I guess it is really covered with flowers when that happens.  Nice to listen to the birds outdoors, the door & windows are open. 

Hi everyone.  A bit late today as this has been a busy day.  I had to finish up the Senior Game applications and print the paperwork.  I did get it done before having to leave for a meeting.  I then took a large stack of paperwork to the lady who checks it over and picked up a few changes.  She usually come by and picks it up here but had broken her arm 2 1/2 weeks ago when we had the snow and can't drive yet.  This afternoon I made some needed calls and took care of some business.

Yesterday I saw my new cardiologist and really like him.  He changed one of my nitro medicines to a long lasting version.  I will start that tomorrow.  I will have an echo cardiogram on Thursday.  He suggested I consider applying for a heart transplant again but I will have to give that careful consideration.  He is also asking the doctor who did several angiograms on me several years ago to review the last one, if he can locate it, to see if he sees anything else that can be done.  I have been told I am not a candidate for any further heart surgery and the stents have all blocked.  Sure I have told you more than you wish to know. 

Janet, I would strongly encourage you to keep a little book where you can write down your user names and passwords to the various sites you may register on.  Another alternative is to use a program called LastPass (it is free) and you can save your information there with just one master password and then access other detailed information on various sites.  I have used it for several years and really like it as it syncs the changes I made between the computers. Sorry to hear that Darrell has the resistant infection. 

I am tired this evening so think I will stop for tonight.  We did have snow most of the day but it didn't accumulate here and the roads and walks never got slick.  There was heavier snow in Northern Georgia.

Larry I am praying about your heart condition. 

Janet you and Darryl have had enough.  Praying for you both as well.

Marilyn I must have missed something about Happy.  Hope he improves soon.

Everyone who has posted needs I am praying.

I got another 'All About Me' from a classmate yesterday.  It is very interesting to read when they got married, their kids and ages, their grands and greats and their ages, what they have done since graduating high school and what they like to do for hobbies and interests.  I am really looking forward to seeing the finished 'Memory Book'.  54 graduates, 8 have passed away and we need 20 more 'All About Me'.  At least, we have over half of the living ones information. 

Today is rehab and then taking our taxes to our tax lady.  Will be glad when that is done and over with. 

Looks like a cloudy, gloomy day.  But the radio was saying that this is Basketball Sectional week and the first time for many years that there is no snow in the forecast.  In fact, we are to be above 50 degrees Saturday and Sunday!  Whooo-eeeee!

Etta Sue, I love that sweet little puppy and butterfly!   

Your temperatures in the fifties sound wonderful - but we just may get up to forty this weekend!   

I may not get back here until next week.  My son in law wants to borrow my laptop, as his little one has lost the whole Windows program asnd hasn't a slot for a disc.  Curtis took it home with him to repair for his dad.  Anyway.....they have a home show this weekend in Liberal and Jeff needs a laptop for people to register online for a Walker mower that will be given away.  And I can't get into CP anymore on my desktop.  Anyway..................

Larry, I will continue to pray for you and the heart condition.  Your attitude is amazing.  You are an inspiration!

Carol, you do lead an interesting life!  Thanks for sharing.

I need to get ready for our Red Hats luncheon, we didn't even meet last month.

Be back this afternoon if there is time, which I doubt.

Judy here is what I posted on another site about Happy

QuoteI  have been doing a lot of research on the web  about the Seborrhea that has Happy going nuts scratching and biting. I have discovered that he is allergic to the commercial dog food I have been feeding them. When I took him to the Vet  shortly after I moved here last mach the vet said he had had a severe allergic reaction to something he ate, we figured it to be the cat food he got into.

So while we were out this morning we went to the pet store and bought some  Hypoallergenic kibble for them, Avoderm,,  I had  two lbs of ground elk meat in the freezer so I have  now cooked that up with two cans of mixed veggies and a can of tomato soup, it tastes pretty good.

I will be mixing some of that with their kibble twice per day and also feeding Happy plain yogurt and cottage cheese until he gets rid of the yeast infection   that is causing all this skin problem. The  last vet I took him to didn't even think it was a food allergy but a flea allergy. I won't be going back there again.

He seems to be improving with the change in food.

That is too bad Marilyn.  Don't know what I would do ig I couldn't feed the dogs the food they get.  It is high quality but I couldn't afford to do what you are doing.

A couple of days ago while cleaning my glasses I remembered that I had always had to tighten Gene's glasses every couple of months, but mine would go a long time before getting loose.  I was also "patting myself on the back" that this pair was almost three years old and didn't have a single scratch.  Yep, there goes that pride again!   

This morning while I was putting them on, one lense dropped onto the carpet.  Now, I have two or three of those little "lens repair" kits.  But!  Without the glasses I can't see to do the repair!  Which means a trip to someplace to get it done.  And I need them to drive.  So I managed to get some clear tape on and hope it will hold for now and I hope I won't need to go all the way to Glens Falls. 

Aw, Jeanne.  If I lived closer, I would come and fix your glasses.  I've had to do that for Ivalou until she went to WalMart and they tightened them.  They scolded her for putting clear fingernail polish on the screws but she was told to do that! 

Well, after taking the taxes I told Ivalou that I was coming home and NOT getting the laptop on my lap.  Instead I was going to dust and sweep.  I even moved the furniture around in the living room.  I almost have my nest arranged...where I sit with the laptop on my lap in the sofa recliner.  You have to have things handy, right?

Today my goal is to make a DVD of Videos.  The minister's wife emailed me a little video and wanted to know if I could put it on a DVD so it can be shown at the retreat next week.  I can but the DVD will take up to 120 minutes...kind of a waste for one 2:16 minute video so I went through my 200+ videos that I have saved to My Videos and picked others that I think are enjoyable, interesting or amazing!  So I want to burn a DVD and then type out on Word what each video is about.  Maybe even color-code the Titles as to Animals, Speakers, Kids, Amazing Talents, etc.

It is bright and sunny.  Yesterday at the bank we saw Iris stems poking out of the snow!!  Yes, Spring will be here soon!  Still have some 2009 snow in the yard but it is getting smaller and smaller every day!  And dirtier and dirtier! 

Hi everyone, just have a minute before I must leave to have the echo cardigram done this morning.  However, I just now read the following and it expresses my own feelings in terms of a melody playing in my mind about all the time.  I hope you enjoy it.  I will try to get back a little later.

Hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.
  --Emily Dickinson

We often hum and sing to ourselves because it makes us feel content. It is the melody itself that makes us feel good--words and thoughts do not matter.

Having hope for ourselves and for our universe is like having a melody always moving inside us. The melody may be calm or exciting, but most of all it brings with it beauty and a sense of peace. Hope can overcome the need for words and thoughts and promises. Hope is the melody that keeps us going, the hum that continues even when there are no words to the song. Hope is not a melody we think about--it must come when we believe in the goodness of our world. If we have faith in a power greater than ourselves, we will be able to find the melody of hope inside us at all times.

Hi all,

Hope all are well since I last posted awhile ago. Had a lot of snow in Jersey and more in Penna. so it is nice to have the sun come out again.
They will be doing an Open House on Sunday, so I want to take the doggie and go to Penna. while they show the house.
Must sell, becoming such a chore back and forth and with work and all...

My doggie is not well. Getting old (13 yrs. old) Stopped eating and lost weight...all blood tests were fine but chest xrays show up grey (no one smokes in our house) so vet is thinking COPD, or her heart murmur is worse--has fluid around heart and possibly a start of a low grade cancer.

But my family to the rescue while I sit and get depressed looking at her, they brought over a lot of chop meat for the freezer and cooked up a lot of ground meat,with mix veggies,..also chicken breasts that I can poach in water.
She loves it along with very well cooked scrambled eggs and pancakes I make. Vet says even macaroni(plain) if she'll eat it.

Only thing she stopped eating is dog food and even her doggie treats.

She eats but very, very little.

She has medication for the fluid in her chest and hopefully she will eat more and gain weight and her energy level witll rise

Oh Joyce.  My heart goes out to you.  I too have lost beloved pets due to illness.  It is so hard to watch them suffer.  I will be praying for you and yours.

Jeanne do you have a dollar store nearby?  See if you can pick up a pair of dollar glasses just to have on hand for glasses emergencies like this.  I use dollar store glasses all the time.  If they break I really don't care as they are only a dollar.

The weather is so unusual this year.  There are no snow banks, and we can see the grass on the lawns in North Bay.  This usually doesn't happen till the end of the month or even April.  We can't get out hopes up though as there will be another good blast....March came in like a lamb.... it will go out like a lion.

Has anyone see the Casting Crowns video and song about Haiti?  It is on UTube.  Type in Casting Crowns Haiti. 

I must go heading home in a few.