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Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
James 4:7

Recommended Reading
James 4:7-10

Doctors in Phoenix have warned that rattlesnakes thought to be dead can still strike and kill. A number of patients suffer bites from rattlers thought to be dead. The snake's mouth retains a reflex action and can still make striking-type motions sixty minutes after decapitation.

Satan, "that old serpent," was beheaded at Calvary, but he can still strike at us. He can tempt us, poison our relationships, and spread his deadly venom. He tries to trap us in difficulty and lure us into temptation. If you're in a tough spot now, the devil is undoubtedly behind it to some degree.

The blood of Christ forgives our sins and resolves our guilt. His resurrection frees us from death and satisfies our need for eternal significance and happiness. His presence surrounds us, while the promises of the Bible sustain us. Jesus said, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).

Acknowledge Satan's activity, but don't be intimidated by him. We can resist him in the power of God and by the blood of Jesus Christ.

The devil has at least one good quality, that he will flee if we resist him. Though cowardly in him, it is safety for us.
Tyron Edwards, American theologian

Go through the alphabet and be thankful for something that begins with each letter.

Thanks for the new page for this new week, Jeanne.  For sure I will be/am watching for rattlers, too!   

I posted this just before you locked the door on last week's messages, so will resubmit it here.   

It will soon be the end of another year! How time flies ... as "they" say. 

This morning I heard that dreaded sound of water running outside (from the water heater closet), and I have no way, or tools, to open that particular door or turn off the water!  I called the park manager and (eventually) he came and shut off the water to the house, but he didn't have the tools to open the place where the water heater is, and from whence came the running water!     And, of course, it is a weekend and my neighbors are out of town!  So ... here I sit with no running water, and wondering how to get the door open to the water heater.

I have a feeling it is not a problem/leak with the water heater, but perhaps a pipe has burst from the frosty night we just had.  The water heater is eight years old.  Should it be already needing replaced?  I just have to wait until tomorrow when (1) my neighbors should be home again and (2) there will be businesses open for my business!  Ah me ..... it's always something, isn't it? 

This sort of problem plagued me a lot the first few years after I moved here, and always on a weekend, in the pouring rain, or in the middle of the night!  By the way, it has been raining a lot the past couple of daze and off and on today, as well. 

I can be thankful I did the laundry yesterday and showered last night so maybe I can go a day or so without water, y'think?   

Thanks for the good thoughts, Jeanne.  Yep, that ol' rattler, Satan, will try any way he can to steal, kill and destroy.  I'm so glad my Jesus already won the battle at Calvary!

Jane, sorry about your water problem.  I wouldn't think your water heater would have sprung a leak at six years old, but you won't know until you get that door open!  Do you live in a mobile home?

Tomorrow, I am driving my friend and painting buddy, Dee, to Garden City for cataract surgery.  We will leave very early, as her appointment is at 8 AM.

Larry, so sorry to hear of Stacey's continuing problems.  She is blessed to have you and Pat as her parents.

We are trying a new liquid food for Beth, also for Darrel and me.  We hope it performs as well as the promises!  It isn't nearly as expensive as the last product we were on, and much easier to drink.  You only use 4 oz. per day per person.

I am very thankful to be able to say, Larry, that the message this AM was well received.  I'm not used to preaching these days, though, and it left me really tired.  May God use the message, though, to make us all better prayer warriors.

Marilyn's problem sounds to me like a password problem.   I think I'd want to check that very, very thoroughly.

Minestrone soup is simmering in the crock pot. I just had a yearning for that soup.  Yesterday, we had Vietnamese noodle soup at a new little place - just love it.  

Gordon: Congrats on your nice wedding anniversary.  I pray for your new grandson.  You mentioned it was worse at night & I know that this is just what I learned years ago, but do they have the mattress at an angle so the head is higher than the feet?  Blessings to you and Noreen.  

Judy:  US size, sorry to be so late.  I don't know why you have different sizes when you live so close  

Jane:  Oh, bummer.  It is so hard to deal with these things & always happens at the wrong time.

QuoteHave you noticed that when you speak to others that don't have computers that they look at you as if thinking...why?  Then they will say that in time everyone will need a computer.  Even Ivalou.  She realizes all that I can do with mine but I don't know if she could conquer the computer or not.  Even her cordless phone baffles her at times...when it isn't doing right.  Oh well!  It takes all kinds of people.

Etta Sue:  Isn't that strange?  I usually only write paper letters at Christmas & would so love it if some of my classmates would just get a computer.  It would be so fun to catch up.  

Janet:  It sounds like you have had some loving experiences lately visiting with your relatives - how nice for you.  

We will drive to the mountains if the roads are clear - almost all the family will try to get there.  They have more nerve than us.

Well, I got a neighbor to come remove the door to the water heater closet -- I held the umbrella while he worked -- and we found that it is a flex hose that has sprung a leak    This man, Bob, is the one who put the water heater in there for me, and he also put a shut off on the top of the tank.  The idea was so I could shut it off without having to cut off all the water into the house.  However ..... there were something like a dozen different screws and other type fasteners holding the door in place.  I don't have the tools.  Another mess is the way the shut off valve is for the water into the house. ....    (filled with mud and water, and the valve is in sideways ... very difficult to get at).

Yes, Janet, I used to call this a mobile home but I have been corrected a time or two.    Since 1978 this dwelling place (and the one I own in California) has been known as a manufactured home!    

Just as we were getting things figured out, my other neighbors came home.    Anyway, Bob says he will come over tomorrow sometime (when it's not raining so hard) and fix/replace the flex hose for me and I'll once again have hot water.  We turned the water back on into the house, just shut it off into the water heater.  I have cold water, at least!  

I read where Jane was having water problems on FB...so glad you have running water again and hopefully hot water tomorrow! 

Marilyn is still having problems getting on CP.  I just sent her a PM on FB to see if she can get CP as a Guest?  If so, then it would be a user name and password problem.  No answer yet.  She said earlier

QuoteI still can't get on c P, not even with my Netbook. Would you please tell everyone that I miss them and that I can't get on. I need to Skype Larry.

Hello, everybody!  Dee had her cataract surgery and now I am back home.  Watching Glenn Beck just now; back later!

We were off line for a bit today, thankfully Ian was able to help with the problem.  Thank you evey one for your patience.

I tried to post yesterday and noticed that CP was down.  So I took a nap, ate supper and crocheted while watching TV.  Then watched 'DWTS' and then 'SWTS' and fell asleep.  Went to bed early and didn't even read before turning off the light.  Lazy day!

I did wake up in the night with the rain and wind hitting my window.  There were tornado warnings on the west side of Indiana before I went to bed.  But I just turned over and went back to sleep.  I woke this morning to sunshine and about 30 degrees cooler than when I went to bed. 

Marilyn let me know that she can't get on CP with her laptop or her Netbook.  The page not found window comes on for both.  I sent her a link and she said that didn't work either.  I thought maybe she didn't have the 's' in christianphotographers but the link didn't work.  She'll get on eventually! But if anyone has any other suggestions, email her or let me know and I can send a PM on FB to her.

Today is our SAMS luncheon.  We are going to an Italian place.  Yumm!

And then I have no more appointments until Dec 1...yeah!!

Hi everyone.  I didn't get here yesterday as had a very busy day.  I had a doctor's appointment to have my pacemaker defibrillator checked.  It showed I have about 1 more year before it must be replaced and that is it now pacing at a higher pace than before.  They also turned up some control, not sure what that will do but sure hope it helps me have a little more energy. 

While I went to my appointment, my wife visited with our daughter, who got out of the hospital on Sunday afternoon.  I saw her after my appointment and she looked pretty good.  She was lucky that she got to the hospital when she did as the doctor told her she had been near coma stage.  We will see her on Thanksgiving to share lunch with her across the street from where she lives and then go back to her apartment for some pumpkin pie that her mother will make with artificial sugar so she can enjoy it.

We had a call from Pat and Paul a little bit ago and they were just leaving Spartansburg, SC and expect to be here about 7:30 or so.  Everything is in readiness for their brief visit and we are looking forward to visiting with them this evening.  They plan to leave in the morning to go on to their first destination for the holiday.  We hope they will be able to stop back by on their way back to Virginia.

Jane, glad you were able to get your water restored even if it is cold.  When I grew up (and I expect most of us here had the same thing) if we wanted hot water it was heated on the stove. 

Etta Sue, glad you didn't blow away last evening.

Janet, it doesn't take the doctor long to do the cataract surgery anymore.  Pat is now commenting on seeing things she hadn't seen before she had the surgery.  She seems to have adjusted to going from hear sided to far sighted.

Carol, hope you are able to get to the mountains for Thanksgiving and don't get snowed in but sure you would be prepared if you did.

Al, I never doubted that you would be delivering God's words in your sermon.  However, understand why that could be very tiring.

Jeanne, thanks for the devotional thought for this week.  That was an interesting analogy between the rattler and Satan.  Often words that let you picture things in your mind help a person remember the message. 

Inspired Gal, it was nice to read your posting and have you visit with us know.  I doubt that you have many spare minutes with six sons as probably each one needs to be somewhere different very often.

John is way west of Duluth.  It is winter there, and he left without his winter coat or boots.....They will be here for him when he gets home, I think he is feeling the weather...haven't heard from him since yesterday.

Larry I am glad you have heard from Pat and Paul.  I pray they have a safe time south of the border.

Larry, Dee's surgery took ten minutes and one second!  I was watching, one of the nurses was narrating what the doctor was doing and answering the few questions I had.  I talked to her today, and she says things are a different color now!    Vision is such a precious gift from God.  Glad to hear you have another year of life in your pacemaker/debibrillator.  Have a nice day with Stacey.

I was busily cleaning, getting ready to put the extra leaves in the table, doing laundry, etc, and the phone rang.  It was someone at the Care Home, wanting me to come in and work, RIGHT NOW, because someone was sick.  The homemaker was sick, even running a fever!  She should NOT have gone to work, those people do not need to be exposed to anything!  Of course, I went in and worked, for four hours.

Well, see you all tomorrow!

I came back to say to Larry--have a wonderful time with Pat and Paul, and give them my love!

Good day from the library at Grand Lake, Colorado.  Snow is lightly falling and the roads are almost OK, temperature keeps falling and it is 9*F.  I know how to make the little temp. sign but it just does not work.  14 elk were bedding down in the trees across the little gravel road in front of our house.   They know it is hunting season and came for refuge but then someone had to drive an ATV machine down the road and they were spooked.  They did get up and look at me when I took pictures from too far away but did not move.  They watched me and I could see them watching the window in the house when I looked out too - very careful.  I love these moments.

Larry:  Glad that you had your defibulator checked and most happy to read that Stacey is home and expecting to have Thanksgiving meal with her parents. 

JudyB:  It is almost always winter near Duluth. 

Pat:  Enjoy your visit with Larry and Pat!  You must have been to see one of the children.

They have a fireplace here & the newspaper so I think I will tarry a while before going outdoors.  Happy Thanksgiving to all - you in Canada can celebrate twice. 

Well, I am late getting here today.  Why?  I told myself last night...Self, you have got to clean this house!!  So Self got up this morning, ate breakfast, read devotions and started cleaning.  Took Self about 5 hours but the house is clean!! 

It's been raining and sleeting all day.  And low 30's.  I just went out to the mailbox and I can't find my umbrella...my big one for here at home.  I took Ivalou's mail to her and she hasn't seen my umbrella.  I even went to Kaye Don's house and looked in his garage and back room.  I don't know where I have left it.  I don't take it in the car...well, I don't think I did.  Maybe it is at church. 

Oh, well!  Maybe Santa will bring me a new one! 

And yes, my deck is a little icy.  I had to walk flat footed so I wouldn't slide. 

It's pretty nice here today, but the forecast says tomorrow is going to be really cold--and windy.

I had a sleepless night last night, so had a nap after lunch.  Now it is time to get back to the preparations for tomorrow.

Carol, sitting in the library for a while and reading the paper sounds very nice!  Our library has a nice area with a fireplace and newspapers, but I have never yet felt I had time to just enjoy it.  And I should!

Etta Sue, would you send Self over here?  My house could use some cleaning, too!    Feels so good when it's done, doesn't it?

Now, back to it!

Hi everyone.  We have had a delightful evening and morning visiting with Pat and Paul.  They got here about 7:30 last evening and my Pat had prepared a nice dinner.  We sat and visited quite awhile and then we visited until eleven pm.  This morning we continued the visit and went to lunch and then they left about 2 pm.  I fear they may have been caught in a lot of traffic on I-85 south of Atlanta.  I know they are looking forward to their visiting and sight-seeing in Florida for the next few days.

Janet, nice you could immediately respond to the call for help at the nursing home. 

Etta Sue, is this "Self" person a good worker?    Glad you got your house cleaned as you wanted.  Hope you find your umbrella.

Carol, that sounds too cold for me.  Hope you have a nice time in the mountains.

Judy, I bet John won't forget his coat and boots in the future.  Hope he doesn't get a cold.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all who will be celebrating tomorrow.

Well, it's time to vote again.  What a wonderful selection of photos in our latest challenge - now it's time to choose the winners:

http://www.christianphotographers.com/community/index.php?topic=11115.0

Choose ten (that won't be easy) and then click on "Submit Vote". 

Self is a pretty good worker...once Self decides to work.  When it comes to work, Self would rather play on the computer or go out to eat somewhere.  But then it comes a time when even Self says...get busy!  Sorry, Janet...Self only cleans Self's own place!  Get yourself your own Self!  ha!

Well, it's time to put on the feed bag.  At least it is warmer today in Indiana, rainy but about 20 degrees warmer than yesterday.  It was a little icy yesterday so the warmer degrees will make it much nicer for those traveling a few miles or a long distance. 

We are to eat around noon today so that means about 1pm!  Ha!  Are there other families like that...always someone we have to wait on? 

Etta Sue I have a person called that here as well...She would rather knit than do the needed stuff.

Hi everyone.

We are just back from having a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with our daughter at the Shepard's Spinal Center.  We got there before noon and the food was fresh and good. They had Adlerian for today of turkey and dressing and two sides plus roll and drink for less than five dollars.  Our daughter had ham and hers was a little more but still very reasonable.  We all felt we had a very good meal and enjoyed our time together.  We then went to her apartment for homemade pumpkin pie.  We are home now and am watching a football game and resting.

Hope all of you celebrating Thanksgiving have had an enjoyable meal and day.

Larry, what is Adlerian?  Glad you had a nice day, and safe travels back and forth.  Also glad you had a delightful visit with Pat and Paul.  That's wonderful.

My family just left.  We had a busy day.  I had most things about ready when Diane's family got here, and we had already gone and gotten Beth.  We had a good visit, talking about what we are thankful for, and discussing the importance of living a life of consistent gratitude.  Of course, we had more food than we needed!  I had told Mom that I would bring her a plate for her supper; and she called in mid-afternoon to tell me she sure was getting hungry.  So Diane, Mark and I took her in three plates of food, one hot, one of the salads and deviled eggs, and one of desserts.  She ate almost all of it!!  I was amazed, as she usually takes about 2 to 5 bites, pushes the plate away with an "yuck" sound, and that's it!  Guess she likes my cooking! 

Diane, Beth and I spent some time in the garage, going through tubs of Beth's clothes and getting out her Winter things.

Mark did the things Beth needed on the computer, so that saved me that time.  Love that boy!

Anyway, it was a lovely day, and I am so thankful to God for so many, many things.

It has been awhile nsince my last visit here,

  I dread the sound of the phone as I am afraid it will be bearing bad news, a cousin is very ill.

I was out and about most of the day but when I got home there was a note stuck in the door inviting the community of seniors to the annual Christmas Dinner. that will happen on Dec.6th at 6:30   

This afternoon I bought and delivered an early gift for my Aunt  we do not exchange gifts but the day will arrive when it will not happen so enjoy when I can.

Brrrrrrrrrrr it is cold out.       Ruth

Hi everyone.  Just back from coffee and we changed our routine and went to McDonald's on Friday rather than the senior center.  The city hall is closed and so we decided last week to not open the senior center for our one hour there.

Janet, I have no idea where that word came from as I had tried to write "a special".  I guess my fingers really got off the keys they needed to be on.  I am pretty sure there is no such word as I actually typed.  Glad you had a special day with your family and I bet your cooking is so much better than they normally get at the home where your mother resides that she didn't want to miss a bite of what you had prepared.  It is nice that she could share in your meal.  As we were going into the Spinal Center yesterday for our Thanksgiving dinner, I saw a family checking in with lots of homemade food as they were obviously bringing the Thanksgiving dinner to a loved one and sharing there since he/she couldn't be home.  I thought that was really special.

Ruth, nice of you to give your Aunt a special gift when not expected.  I think a lot of areas have special Christmas dinners for seniors, especially in the smaller communities.  I know that where my folks lived that was an annual event.

Don't have anything special planned for the weekend.  I do have a couple of good books to read and expect to watch a lot of college and pro football and some college basketball games over the next several days.  My wife thinks this will be a good time for her to be in her office either working on her quilt or playing games and listening to a book on CD on the computer.  She isn't fond of sports, and especially dislikes the crowd noises in the background.

A great time was had by all yesterday at Ivalou's.  All 26 of us.  Everyone was there yesterday!  I am so blessed to be included in Ivalou's Thanksgiving and Christmas Family celebrations.  I was marveling yesterday how the 'little' ones are now grown up and have families of their own.  And their 'little' ones are now playing together. 

My Mother and Ivalou were both RED heads.  Ivalou has a g-granddaughter named Cailin.  She will soon be two.  Her hair is now shoulder length and bright RED.  She is so cute with a little turned up nose also!  Grandma Ruby would love her to pieces if she were alive!

We all ate too much and then a bunch of us sat around the dining room table and played 'Apples to Apples'.  A card/word game.  Some hilarious answers! 

Today I want to go to Sears for some sweeper bags, eat somewhere and then to the funeral home.  A classmate lost her husband Tuesday.  He had a stroke last January and hasn't been home since.  And Alfa has Alzheimers.  You tell her something and 15 minutes later, she doesn't remember.  She has been living with her daughter since Doug went into a nursing home.  So sad for the family. 

Bright and sunny here but a cold 24 degrees with some wind....Brrrr!

This week's promise: God blesses those who seek after him

What Do You Long For?

"Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth."
Psalm 73:25 NLT

Heart's Desire

"In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when the Beavers inform the children that Aslan is on the move, the children feel a strange stirring in their hearts. Peter in particular says he's "longing" to meet this Aslan....he doesn't say he's curious; he says he's longing, and that carries a very different meaning....

To long for something means you've had it in your mind for a while, the way you fix your heart on getting that iPod for Christmas.... Longing carries with it the concept of desire.

Yearning Desire. It's a theme that weaves throughout the life and works of C. S. Lewis. In Surprised by Joy, he introduces the concept of longing as the signature quest of his childhood and young adulthood.

It wasn't until Lewis converted to Christianity that he eventually realized what he'd been longing for: God. Not the Norse gods of the pagan world, not even the gods or spirits of fantasy worlds, but the God of the Bible—a real, living Being in whom we can have life forever.

With our own friends, part of our role is to help them understand that their longing comes from an inborn desire to know the King of the universe. And, like the Beavers with Peter, we are to tell our friends about the King—that his return is imminent, that he is on the move even now.

We're all longing to meet the true King. Will you recognize his name when you hear it? Will you help others do the same?

Larry, I was ready to learn a new word!  It looked like a good one, too!

Well, I got in on the Black Friday craziness today.  I met Diane, Mark and Abby at an intersection 27 miles from here and went to Garden City with them.  It was kind of fun, and I got a couple nice bargains.  They can out-shop me any day of the week, so I took along a good book I'm reading, and when I got tired, I sat in the vehicle and read.  

Ruth, gifts given "just because" are sometimes the most memorable of all.  Hope you haven't received bad news.

Etta Sue, it really is nice that you are included in Ivalou's family holidays.  Fun to watch the families grow up, isn't it?

Kitty and I did what was planned yesterday.  I have never seen so many people at a viewing in a funeral home before.  We were in line to get to the casket for an hour and a half.  With that many people, they need to give out name tags.  I know there were several people there that I knew if only I knew their names!  But I did visit with a lot of people.  And Alfa was doing great yesterday.  Seemed like the old Alfa that I knew years ago.  I prayed for all the family today when they will see their loved one for the last time on this side of heaven.

Today is cold but sunny.  It was cold in the living room when I got up since the heat pump is in a different room.  But with the fireplace and the solar heat, it is warming up. 

Not planning on doing anything other than printing some calenders after lunch.  And lunch is going to be potato soup!   Yum!!

Hi Everyone from chilly Pensacola, FL!!!

(Larry, don't change the sheets on the bed!  We plan on stopping with you on the way north!)  We just love our visits so well with you both!

We're going out to the stores and then to the beach to see if we can find some shells.

Hi everyone.  A beautiful but quite chilly day here in Georgia today.  The wind is up a little this afternoon but still not too unpleasant.

Pat, that is good news as we enjoyed your visit also.  We haven't been upstairs since you left. You also left a little white plastic box so you will be able to pick it up.  Hope you found some shells.  It was a bit chilly at the beach I expect.

Etta Sue, the large turnout at the funeral is a testament to the many friends and relatives the deceased or his wife must have.  It is indeed sad when that terrible Alzheimer's Disease strikes.

Janet, your taking a book and reading in the car when you got tired of the shopping brought back a vivid memory of my grandmother.  She said she was never bored as she always carried a crossword puzzle book in her purse and when she tired or was finished with her shopping she would go to the car and work a puzzle.  That was the days when you didn't have to leave your car locked while you shopped.  We sure couldn't do that around here.  That is also one of the things I like so much about my iPod Touch as have a Kindle book, games or puzzles or other reading I can do on it whereever I am regardless of whether there is wi-fi.  I can also listen to music on it while reading or playing a game and it helps waiting time really pass quickly.  It is good for waiting in doctor's offices as well.

Judy, thanks for the Promises page for this week.

I had another email from Marilyn and she is completely stumped at being able to get to this site and none of the things I have suggested have worked.  I am at a loss because she can't even come here as a visitor and thus re-registering or having Pat change her password isn't an option for her.  She is very frustrated.  Just had one more idea I will suggest to her to try a different browser.  I will send her another e-mail.

Going to enjoy the Saturday football games.  Georgia is playing Georgia Tech this evening in the annual rivalry game.

I just read the new John Grisham novel "The Confession" over the last couple of days.  I thought it was very good.  He is a great story teller.