Christian Photographers Community

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Morning Devotional...


How has God protected us in the past?


Before the mountains were created, before you made the earth and the world, you are God, without beginning or end.

You turn people back to dust, saying, "Return to dust!"

Psalm 90:3-4 NLT


Our Help in Ages Past

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home!
O God, Our Help in Ages Past
ISAAC WATTS (1674-1748)

In 1714, the people of England were anxious. Queen Anne lay dying, and she had no son or daughter to succeed her. Who would be the new monarch, and what changes would that make? Isaac Watts had reason to worry. His father had been imprisoned under the previous regime because his views did not please the ruling family. As a young child, Isaac has been carried by his mother to visit his father in jail. But Queen Anne had brought a new tolerance, and freedom for the elder Watts. Now that she was dying, what would happen?

Isaac Watts turned to Psalm 90 on this occasion and penned what may be the greatest of his more than six hundred hymns. In essence, it is a poem about time. God stands above human time, and in Him all our anxieties can be laid to rest. The greatness of our eternal God was a favorite theme of Watts. When the events of the day bring worry, the God of all ages remains our eternal home.

Hello to my dear friends especially Ruth Ann Bice , Ruth Ann I love the calls.  I would like to thank you all for the prayers.  I continue to go back and forth to the doctors. They say we know what's going wrong but, we don't know why or how to fix it, I told them last week that it was OK because my LORD knew. I go back this coming Tuesday.  I pray all of you are well I will try and stay in touch more from now on I have truly missed you.  In Christ,  Marlo

I have been really bad..... reading but not posting! 

All is well with us, and the things that aren't are in the Lord's hands and He will see us through to fulfill His will.

Still involved in a lot of bookkeeping and getting tax files completed... deadline is April 30th if people want to receive the government rebates in July and also not pay penalties on balances due.

I play "Change One Letter" in the Fun Stuff, because it takes just a moment (or an hour if I'm stuck    )

Thank you for all your posts and inspiration.

Hello All,
I have read a lot of the posts but have been really busy and unable to post. I have been busy with work and Ruth. Last Sunday in the way early morning hours a small town here in NW Oklahoma was hit by an EF3 tornado killing 6 and injuring many others. The biggest reason why I come to post today was to ask that y'all pray or continue to pray for them as many of them are confused about where to go or start to rebuild. There were 89 homes lost and 13 businesses.  As the weeks go on they are going to need many uplifting prayers so they rebuild and work on moving forward with their earthly lives. Thanks
Sarah

Judy, in the little poll, did you really mean we could select up to 27??  I think that would be every one of them! 

Marlo!  Wonderful to see you posting again!  Isn't our Ruth Ann a blessing, though?  Such a sweetheart!

We enjoyed church in Hugoton, lunch with the kids, and now I am about to enjoy a nap!

I thought this map was very interesting considering we are suppose to be a non-Christian nation. http://www.usatoday.com/news/graphics/pew-religion-08/flash.htm

Sarah, I can't even imagine the devastation to the mental health as well as the property losses and of those who survived the tonado and there have been so many communities hit already this year with the main tornado season just approaching. 

RuthV, glad to see you posting.  I am sure you are busy since this is coming to the end of your tax filing season.  Ours ended a last Tuesday.

Marlo, you certainly know where to put your trust and how will be carrying you thoughout whatever health battles you may face.  I feel our attitude has such an important part to play in our health and recovery from illness. 

Judy, thanks for preparing the devotional thoughts for us this week. 

Good day to all I guess that you all must think that I got lost.  Well there are so many things that have been going on since I was last on this site.  My family have been keeping us busy and also the grand kids.  I also had to take physio for my hand a lot longer than what I thought it would take but when I wake up in the morning it is still sore but that is o k as it get to be o k. very fast and the pain goes away.

You all are still very busy people and it is so good to read some of your posts.  

I will try to stay on site more often as I do miss it a lot.  May the Lord give you all a great week and that you all have oppertunity to witness for him.  God bless Gordon and Noreen.

Wow - I like your survey, Judy - chuckled when I saw that I could choose every one of them:)

I have a busy week ahead of me. I'm working on making arrangements for retiring the end of the school year, or "graduating from the work force" as my daughter reminds me. We will be taking my dad up to North Bay again on Tuesday so that we can learn more about the dialysis treatments he will be doing. Then on Thursday night we will be going to Niagara Falls for a work conference for me. My husband is going with me and we will be there until Saturday when we have to head back home as we need to be back for church responsibilities on Sunday.

Thanks to everyone who has been praying for my Dad and my brother-in-law (see Praise and Prayers). I appreciate it and my Dad is amazed that people so far away have been praying for him.

I do read the posts even though I don't always write - and I pray for each person putting messages up. This is an encouraging group to be part of.

Sarah:  We only see a few minutes at the most on the news regarding the drastic change of life and loss of friends and family on these storms and I often wonder how they begin again with their lives.  I cannot imagine losing every little thing and in some cases, their work places as well.  Prayers for all and prayers of gratitude for what we have in our own lives. 

Hello Gord!  Stay awhile!

The roofers were here & pounded the roof for hours so we had to get out for sanity sake.  I did some cleaning this afternoon and will do the rest of the house tomorrow.  Dust, I mean. 

I put 27 so there would be no limit to your favourites..  I am glad you are enjoying it.

Wonderful message on fear today, I went to the pastor after saying he stopped too soon.  He has left us hungering for more.  Isn't that how it should be?

I will be back tomorrow.

Hi Judy..... I forgot to mention that I would have voted for a Saint Bernard, if it had been one of the choices.   
We have had two of them; one before my daughter was born and the other for 12 years. Barnum grew up with my children and was sorely missed when he died in 1996.
Yes they are massive dogs, however have hearts to match!!

Sarahm, I was watching for any mention of those tornadoes coming near anyone on C.P. The areas hit have been in our prayers, and those in our church.... we will continue to pray for those who were so drastically affected.

It is absolutely wonderful to see all of you posting! I wish there was a little cartoon for a person jumping for joy-I'd use it tonight.

Sarah, how sweet of you to come speak to us. It would be wonderful to get an update on both you and Ruth. Yes, we need to continue to pray long after the news announcements of nature's devastation stop - the recovery and struggles continue.

Our own Don can certainly speak to that with what he has gone through after nature's fury was unleashed on his area.

Ruth V, it's great to see you, too. And, Betty, an update is SO welcome. Marlo we continue to love you and pray for (AND with you) and your family.

As for dogs, one of the best was a mutt that adopted us, and many times protected the babies. What a great dog she was. Also, I absolutely love golden retrievers. We have had 2 really special retrievers - so loving and sweet and eager to please.

Today was ended with a fun time at the church across the street. They held an inexpensive dinner to benefit a wonderful outreach to those with addictions and deal often with either imprisonment and/or homelessness. It was kind of a men's talent show with magic (not) tricks, cute jokes, funny presentations including one on how to use a plunger to unstop the bathroom commode.  Finally there was music and a most WONDERFUL testimony from a man Jesus rescued from the depths through the CrossBridge program. How wonderful to see that the man who is chef at our M-F cafe set up to help benefit CrossBridge is that rescued man! And, further, he is now a counsellor to help others cross that bridge to health and salvation!

And, I go to sleep tonight with the anticipation of getting to have breakfast with my brother and his sweet wife. They've been in town visiting their daughter and family, and we want to get together before they drive back up north again.

May our Lord bless and keep each of us this day is my prayer.

Ruth Ann

Wow!  A big WELCOME HOME to our previously MIAs--Ruth V., Sarah, Gord, Betty, and Marlo!  So good to have you posting again.  Life certainly does get hectic, and I understand how the days can go by leaving things undone that we had every intention of doing.

This is SUPPOSED  to be my last day at work.  Time will tell.....and I am working in the Special Care Unit today, the one for Alzheimer's residents.  I haven't worked that one for a while, so will have to refresh my memory on who likes what, etc.

I am awake now since 2:30, so I'm sure a nap will be on my agenda after work.  I will TRY to stay awake, because it would be really nice to be able to sleep the whole night, rather than just the first half of it, but will see how I do.  Sometimes the eyes just want to close in spite of my best intentions.

If we are going to accomplish anything in April, we'd better hurry!     

I heard some awful news yesterday.  The 15 year old grandson of my friend who wrote a book before I wrote mine was killed Saturday.  No details yet, only that it was a gunshot.  I don't know if it was accidental or suicide.  Patty was so crazy about that boy (as we all are about our grandkids) and I know she is devastated.  Dominick was in my granddaughter Abby's class in school.

Sarah, do you have friends or relatives in Woodward?  It took a minute for me to realize it was Woodward you were speaking of in your post, as that is quite a distance from where you live.  Not that distance should make any difference in praying for those folks---and thanks for reminding us to pray for them.  Would love to see some photos of you and Ruth.

A chilly week ahead - Friday it may not even get to 40 F.  But praise God we're not getting the snow here that the western part of the state and the high peaks in the Adirondacks are getting.

Thanks for the devotional, Judy.  God is indeed our Protector now as in the past.

But Judy, I wish you had added a choice for "none" in the poll.  I don't really like dogs.   

Hi everyone.  We have a very chilly and very windy day here in Georgia.  I had to stop at the gas station a little bit ago and the wind really has a chill to it.  My schedule isn't too heavy today.  I do have my men's luncheon at 1 pm and we will go to the Golden Corral and then I have a meeting to attend for an hour this evening.  Pat talked with Stacey this morning and she was in tears as was in a lot of pain.  She really overdid yesterday as was in her wheelchair from before 9:30 until about 6 pm last evening.  She attended her church and stayed for a meeting afterward and then went to her apartment rather than going back directly to the rehab center.  She wasn't scheduled for any rehab yesterday.  Guess she has to test her limits.

Gord, so good to see your postings.  Glad the pain in your hand has greatly improved. 

Betty, being retired has many great benefits, particularly the ability to see your own schedule.  However, my sister retired several years ago and didn't like it so went back to work part-time.  Sorry to read that your dad has to have dialysis.

Carol, are the roofers finished?

Judy, better to be left hungering for more of the sermon than looking at your watch to see if it isn't about over. 

RuthV, I think you are the only person I know who has owned a Saint Bernard. 

Ruth Ann, hope you have had a great time with your brother and SIL at breakfast this morning.  Your rescue mission work of your church sounds wonderful.  We always need to remember we are all God's creations and he doesn't make any junk. 

Janet, I just know you would have a special quality to share with the memory impaired folks you will have dealt with today.  I have a special place in my heart for the wonderful caregivers that interacted with my folks during the time they spent in a care home.  What a disaster for your friend regarding the death of her grandson. 

Jeanne, we are going to be much cooler here for a couple of days and then back into the 80s.  Today is a sweat shirt day for me to stay warm.

It is so nice to see some of our absentees posting again!  I know our lives are busy but do try to make an effort to post more often.  We miss you! 

I didn't feel the best after eating out yesterday so took a nice long nap with Inky and Ali Cat.  My son even called and asked me to go with them to an Italian place in Carmel and I said, 'Some other time.  I am not feeling too good today.'  By bedtime I was feeling much better. 

Today I am chilled.  I even turned on the furnace to take the chill out of the house.  We are to have a cool week with the highs only in the 50's and low 60's.  Brrr!  We certainly had a short spring! 

Seems my schedule this week all falls on Tuesday.  Pool, taking a Chemo Wrap to the hospital, eating out with SAMS, Verizon store for a new phone, Walmart to schedule an eye exam appointment and grocery shopping. 

And I try to mow the grass on Wednesday and this week the prediction is 50% rain.  Hope not until I get the yard mowed. 

Yesterday, Sheree wrote.....
Sunday 4/22/12 day 46

QuoteGood weekend! Company from Indiana! Jacob's Grandma Burress, Aunt Linda and cousin Parker got to come down and spend some time with us! While they were here something new Jacob started doing was stretching! He stretched his arms and legs out along with a body stretch several times. He woke up a little yesterday evening and did seem to be looking at them for a few moments. This afternoon (yes after they left) he has actually opened both eyes and had them open for over 30 minutes! This was a definite first to have both eyes open! Friday evening Baxter and I were sitting with Jacob before bedtime and he had his right eye open for at least 2 and a half hours !
God is so good !!! Trust in the Lord with all your heart !!!

Linda is Ivalou's daughter-in-law and Parker is Ivalou's grandson.

Hello all y'all Did ya miss me?

I've been here to ready several times daily But didn't say anything.  Gotta go now.

Yes, I HAVE been missing you, Marilyn.

Breakfast with my brother and wife was so special. We only get to see each other maybe 1 or 2 times a year. He sees the surgeon day after tomorrow (Wednesday) about that injury he sustained prior to Easter. I truly hope the surgery will relieve the numbness in his leg (and the pain) that he's had to endure.

And, I was able to share a few things with her about elder medications, Medicare, etc.

So, all told, we left with hugs all around and expressions of love.

Y'all have a wonderful day with our Lord today.

Ruth Ann

Well, today is the last day that the Home Health people will be coming.  They've had a bath person, a phys. therapist, an  occupational therapist, and a social worker coming ever since I got home from the rehab place, but they're officially discharging me  tomorrow.  So I'll have to do the showers on my own and getll myself out to walk as often as possible also.  A few minutes ago Marbeth and I walked over to the mailboxes (accross the street) and back.  So I guess I'm supposed to be a relatively normal human being now!  I trust the Lord that everything will go ok.

I've been keeping busy with my graphic work and   creating new webpages. I am waiting for the PT people to call me to set up times for me to go see if they can do anything about the vertigo, It is becoming less and less as time goes by. My head where it hit the ground is healed and finally has stopped hurting. My left knee and wrist are still painful, the right knew is the one that bothers me so much of the time so nothing has changed there either. You can see the newest web creation at http://mychallenges.x10.mx/10/10.html please sign my guestbook if you happen to take a look at the page.

Hi everyone, especially Judy.  It was wonderful sharing a pew and a meal with you, John, Pat, and the other members of your group. 

As you so lovingly pointed out, I have not been posting here in the Thoughts for the Week.  I guess I felt I had nothing to contribute; at least not regularly.

It is cold and blustery here. Must be feeling the effects of the same front that is passing through Georgia...oh so far south of us.

I had a good report from the Defib clinic last Wednesday, though I was chastised for having stopped taking my Atenolol  (Beta Blocker).  I don't like the way I feel when I take it, but the reality is that it was helping my heart rate stay in a normal range. The nurse said that I would normally have somewhere between 3 and 10 episodes...times when an irregularly fast heart beat was detected and/or paced, but I had had 45 in the last 6 months. Guess I had better listen to her, and remember that I am on the lowest possible dose. 

The Lord gave these doctors and nurses the desire to help heal and care for his children, so I must remember that these meds are a help not a hindrance.

Hope you all have a fantastic week.

Bonnie

I forgot to mention that I would have voted for Golden Retriever as my favorite dog, but it wasn't an option.  Every Golden I have ever met has been gentle, loving, and an absolutely useless guard dog because they are so eager to welcome everyone into their circle of love.

Hello,
I am back again. We are doing well. Ruth is getting bigger and continues to love daycare (which has been the best decision I have made to put her into daycare vs having her in a one on one babysitting). She is two and very full of life.
Janet- no friends or family in woodward we have just moved closer (Beaver) and had an EMS unit in woodward during the storm. Will have to post more later I just got a call to return to work
Sarah

Al, even though you will probably miss those home health people, it is a good thing, shows you are gaining back the ground you had lost!  So it is something to celebrate!  Just don't get too feisty--remember to take care of yourself as you continue your healing journey.

I just talked to my friend Pat, and she is still in Lubbock, Texas.  Her dad is in really bad shape, won't likely live more than a few more days.  They were moving him to a hospice facility today.  But they know where he is going; and she said they have had some good, sweet times with him these past days.

I learned my friend Patty's grandson's service will be at the Middle School in Hugoton at 5 on Wednesday.   So much heartache for some wonderful people.  One just wants to scream, "WHY, God?"

Marilyn, glad you are getting better each day.

Today was quite a day at work! The gal who was to work on the 400 neighborhood failed to show up, AGAIN, and they pulled the girl from PT to cook there.  She was utterly lost!  So they came and asked me if I would trade with her, as the 100 one is easier (the Unit).  I said yes, so went and got most of the residents' breakfast cooked and served, then another gal came in to take over, and I went back to the Unit.  There aren't many residents in there, so it is easier, but I don't mind the other one, I'm used to it.  Anyway, the new admin. came in, taking her dog around to visit people, and she told me they want to have a book signing for me!  It will be during National Nursing Home Month, which is May.  That's perfect, as May is also NF Awareness Month!  So I will be writing an article for the paper about NF, and they can "kill several birds with one stone."       Sure helps when you can get a board member to go to bat for you!

Darrel is frying chicken and it smells so good!

Larry:  You may like to read the book, "What is so Great about Christianity", by D'Sousa.  I take it in pieces to digest it better but it really tells the statistics of Evangelical Christians rising in numbers.  Surprising, as we hear the opposite.

Janet:  My neighbor just finished your book & it is an eye-opener to her re. the disease.  We will pass it on.

Our two favorite dogs in the family were a Golden Retriever named Missy and the other,  a Norwegian Elkhound/Husky mix called Spike.  Spike followed the children home when we lived in Minnesota, he stayed and protected us from hunters walking through the property and snowmobilers on the lake.  He was the best dog ever & Missy was a clown and so smart.  She flunked training class because she wanted to flunk - we just loved both dogs.

Gotta go - neighbors calling.

   Good evening to all.  We are having winter weather tonight snow flurries and blowing and cold so the poor plants don't know what to do as they are all flowering and nice and green.

Had a great day had the grand kids here as there Mum had to go for orientation for her summer job. Please pray for her as she is having a hard time as the university informed her that she has to get 6 more credits and they had said before that she would not have to do this so it is very hard for a mother with two little ones her name is Stephanie.

Noreen my wife is still having many bad times with her back and she still needs lots of prayer as also the side effects from meds do not help.

I have also been having a lot of problems with my left hip and I am getting a M.R.I. on the 25th of May to see if they can figure out what is causing this pain I already do know that I have arthritis in it .

Well I do hope that you all have a wonderful and safe week and we will pray for you all.  Gods richest blessings to you.   Gordon and Noreen.

I forgot to ask yesterday....Larry, what is the difference between Evangelical Christians and Mainline Christians...or Main(something) Christians?  I even searched 'Evangelical Christians' and came up with nothing understandable to me. 

Al, sounds like you are graduating!  Are you having a party?

I am off to Noblesville and hopefully will return with a new phone and an eye exam appointment and some groceries! 

Everyone have a great day with the Lord!

 Hi everyone. I haven't felt up to par the last three evening and most of the day yesterday.  However, don't think it is anything to worry about. I think the effectiveness of some of my heart medications may be reaching their limits and this may be something I just have to learn to deal with on a daily basis.  I hope this too shall pass but it will take a few days to find out. This should be a relatively quiet day with only one activity this morning and then the rest of the day free. 

Etta Sue, what type of new phone did you select?  So glad to read of the progress in Jacob's recovery.  Etta Sue, I don't think I can answer your question on the difference between Evangelical Christians and Mainline Christians.  Perhaps someone else can shed some light on it.  I do know that quite a few of our Presbyterian churches affiliated with the PCUSA are leaving and associating with the Evangelical Presyterians. 

Marilyn, we did miss you but  I had seen postings from you somewhere else so didn't put the two things together.  How is the dizzyness?  I saw your later posting so read about the PT folks.

Ruth Ann, glad you were able to spend time with your brother and SIL.  That is something I haven't been able to do with my sister and BIL for several years.

Al, sounds like you are making very good progress. Small steps lead to little bigger steps on the path to recovery.  Our daughter will be having some Home Health care for some days after she gets home. 

Bonnie, it sounds like the meds are important for your situation.

Sarah, glad the daycare is something that Ruth enjoys.

Janet, our minister preached a sermon on "Why does God allow people to hurt" and his answer was basically it is something to which we can never know the answer other than if it part of the life experience and God will get us through those times.  Good news that they will have a book signing for you at the home.

Carol, very often the news we hear has nothing to do with reality or the true facts.  The book you suggest sounds interesting. 

Gord, sorry to hear of the additional education requirement your daughter now faces.  Sure wish Noreen could find some help with her back pain.  Hope the MRI points to the problem in your hip.

I'm just breezing through to catch up, will be back later with some thoughts re Evangelical vs Mainline Christians.

Lots to do today, isn't that unusual?